Augmented reality is something that’s got really popular lately and automotive industry is following that trend. To be more precise BMW is testing their smart glasses in the Mini brand. As some of you already might be familiar, the main goal here is to give the driver as much useful information as possible without jeopardizing safety.
This system is similar to HUD display which has an ability to display digital images on glass. This means that the driver has unobstructed view of everything that surrounds him with an addition of certain information that’s displayed by text or graphic.
More information can be displayed on the glasses but only when vehicle is at standstill, and when it starts moving system switches to its more basic version.
Glasses get information from the cell phone or from the car itself which is connected to them by Bluetooth and wireless connection.
Driver can choose the desired info by the buttons on the steering wheel, or by the buttons on the glasses.
One more interesting feature is that driver can actually do some functions by the head movements while in the car. Best example for this is parking, when glasses will display video captured by the outside cameras.
Truth be told amount of information which can be displayed is really humongous. For example there is a choice of GPS which also has an advanced version. This advanced version works when you have to park your car few blocks away due to unavailable parking. Glasses will actually work outside the car and they will take you to your destination.
Also just as your regular GPS, glasses will mark certain places like gas stations or restaurants. When it’s connected to the phone, they will display incoming call or text message discretely. One of the more advanced features is its ability to display the image in place where the pillars block your view.
In case you have trouble finding your car in huge parking garages, glasses will point you to the right direction. Glasses look somewhat stylish and they are powered by one of the best processors on the market.
As you can witness, there are many useful function they can provide. However, they are still in the testing phase and it is still unclear when they’ll find their way to serial production. One thing is for sure, they have a potential to improve safety even more, and that’s basically the most important thing.
