Introduction to Augmented Reality in Cars
The biggest automotive news and reviews are actually available in a free day by day newsletter that sends the stories that actually matter on to you, every weekday. One day, augmented reality—the precise projection of digital information over real-world views—will likely change into such a natural way of telegraphing information to drivers and passengers, physical screens will feel like a quaint, distant memory. Navigation-system directions will float on the road ahead of you. Restaurants you’re searching for will glow brighter than the buildings around them, pulsating to capture your attention. Off-roaders will have the opportunity to leaf through their vehicles’ floors and doors as they sidestep boulders and crawl over logs.
Current State of Augmented Reality in Cars
At the moment, augmented reality systems currently available for the drivers themselves are limited to small, relatively crude head-up-displays—though the Lexus LS flagship sedan has a notably robust 24-inch HUD display with dynamic graphics—and more-dazzling-but-not-truly-integrated screen-based systems just like the recent Mercedes MBUX infotainment system, which projects directional arrows, street names, and house numbers onto the real-time forward view within the automotive’s infotainment display. Future systems from BMW, Jaguar, Toyota, Ford, and plenty of other carmakers are within the pipeline—often in collaboration with industry suppliers akin to Continental—and tech giants Apple and Google are developing such products, as well. In fact, Apple filed a patent in August for a windshield-based system that will not only integrate digital information within the environment, but additionally enable FaceTime conversations between vehicles.
Advancements and Applications
Much of this development is linked to the regular advance of semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles, which is able to make considerable use of augmented reality to maintain passengers occupied and entertained on their drives. But the systems are also dancing across the periphery of current drivers’ seats as a way to advance the technology, get it out into the true world, or have it help with specific duties throughout the automotive industry. On the production side, Porsche has integrated tablet-based AR technology to gauge the precision of its factory tooling, while Microsoft’s Hololens mixed-reality goggles have been deployed by Ford to help with vehicle design. Just this week, at Microsoft’s technology summit in Japan, Toyota and Microsoft unveiled a partnership that uses Hololens to examine the thickness of certain vehicle coatings—a process that ordinarily takes several days and involves layering physical sheeting on the automotive surfaces.
Creative Uses of Augmented Reality
Outside the factories, firms are exploring more creative uses of the tech for consumers, hoping to coach the media and buyers about recent technologies—though occasionally with dubious real-world advantages. Genesis, for example, was the primary to supply a digital owner’s manuals with augmented reality functionality built-in. With the Genesis Virtual Guide, you may hold your smartphone as much as the engine bay and be directed to the oil dipstick or washer fluid receptacle, or find your strategy to certain controls within the cabin, amongst other functions. Audi’s recent use of augmented reality as a part of the media briefings many automotive journalists receive during vehicle launches is one other example of creative application of the technology.
Future of Augmented Reality in Cars
Eventually, such demonstrations will certainly be integrated into showroom displays, and even available as downloadable or streamable demos for individuals who own the right hardware. In that case, you’ll have the opportunity to take a look at a virtual automotive as it could sit in your driveway or garage—and hell, perhaps even stick a lawn chair down, play with said automotive’s controls, and go for a virtual ride in the brand new machines. All, in fact, while sitting in the midst of your garage floor with a headset on. It may not look all that cool from the skin…nevertheless it’s the long run.
Conclusion
The use of augmented reality in cars is an exciting and rapidly developing field. With its potential to revolutionize the way in which we interact with our vehicles, it’s an area that is price keeping track of. As the technology continues to advance, we will expect to see more progressive applications of augmented reality within the automotive industry. Whether it’s used to reinforce the driving experience, improve vehicle design, or just provide a brand new strategy to explore cars, augmented reality is certain to have a major impact on the long run of the automotive industry. Eric Adams can be a contributor to Wired, Gear Patrol, Popular Science, and The Wirecutter, amongst other outlets, and a former editor at Men’s Health, Popular Science, and Air & Space/Smithsonian.
