Extended Reality is one of the emerging technologies that is currently disrupting the automotive industry. Automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) are already using XR for creating the cars of tomorrow. These technologies can’t only improve the performance in research and development, manufacturing, sales and aftersales, they are also enhancing the connected car ecosystem and therefore also the in-vehicle experience.
The XR In-Vehicle Experience
Extended Reality features are already available in some cars but currently limited to Augmented Reality applications. Virtual Reality technology may also be available in the future but because autonomous driving is not available yet and there are still some technological and regulatory issues to solve it’s not relevant at the moment.
Head-up Displays (HUD)
The main advantage of head-up displays in current cars is that drivers get crucial information displayed directly in their field of view. Although simple HUDs were already introduced in commercial aviation back in the 70s and in the first cars in the late 80s, they are just getting more popular now.
Augmented Reality technology is also improving the in-vehicle safety because the drivers can keep their eyes on the road. The stereoscopic images used in HUDs can even adjust to the viewing angle of the driver. Looking down on the instrument cluster or head-down display will become more and more obsolete in the future and increase safety on the roads. But modern AR-powered head-up displays are also able to warn the driver of potential hazards along the way.
Features of modern HUDs
Even though most of the manufacturers are already offering heads-up displays in some models, there is still a lot of unused potentials. Common HUDs are already able to display speed, speed limits, additional road signs, gas levels or battery percentage, but some have more features. There are even some aftermarket head-up displays available that allow you to get these features in older cars.
Directions
Most manufacturers are already able to give their drivers simple turn-by-turn navigation information directly in their field of view. Mercedes for example has already started integrating AR-powered navigation systems with the new A-Class, but the new 2021 S-Class will take it a step further. The new MBUX in the S-Class is able to project navigation information directly on the street and show the drivers exactly where they have to make a turn. The Swiss startup WayRay has also revealed a Holographic Augmented Reality Navigation System with similar functionality together with Hyundai at CES 2019.
Awareness
Modern HUDs are also able to help the drivers with awareness and warn them of additional hazards like pedestrians, cyclists or other cars. This feature is especially useful for blind spots in cities, larger intersections and during the night.
Points of Interest (POI)
Some heads-up displays are also able to help the drivers with different points of interest like restaurants, parking spots or gas stations. In the future, they will also be able to show the drivers parking spots that are big enough for the car to fit in with additional information about hourly rates or parking limitations.
Notifications
In the future, HUDs will also be able to display messages or calls from our smartphones directly in the field of view. This feature will not only be much more convenient, it will also stop us from looking at our phones and therefore increase safety on the road. These notifications could also include important information about a traffic jam or accident on our route directly from the manufacturer.
Additional XR In-Vehicle Features
AR-powered owner’s manuals
Besides the head-up displays, some automakers are also providing AR-powered owner’s manual apps to provide more detailed information on the functionality of the car. This feature was already available as “Ask Mercedes” in the 2018 S-Class and will also come to future Hyundai and KIA cars.
AR-powered assisted views
In the future, there will also be AR-powered mirrors that allow the drivers to have an unobstructed view of what’s behind them and help with avoiding not seeing a car in the blind spot. A similar feature is already used in some bigger pickup trucks and SUVs from GMC, Chevrolet and Land Rover. These pickup trucks are regularly used for towing bigger trailers and offer their drivers additional camera views and the possibility to connect different cameras from the back of the trailer to the car’s infotainment system.
Land Rover also pioneered a similar function for the front of the new Evoque and Defender. The “ClearSight Ground View” makes the front disappear and is especially useful for steep terrain.
Jaguar even went a step further and tried to augment the pillars in the car with OLED monitors and cameras. But this feature is not yet available because foldable OLED screens are not ready for the automotive industry yet.
