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Find out more about GM's Enhanced Vision System, the Heads Up Display System, also known as HUDS.
The first Heads Up Display debuted in the 30s: A targeting reticule was reflected onto the plane's windshield, allowing the pilot to target enemies without having an object on the plane's exterior where it would increase drag. Shortly afterwards the first "augmented reality" technology was added to the system by adding automatic adjustments to the targeting reticule to compensate for air speeds and attack angles. Modern displays can show everything from enemy targets to altitude, allowing pilots to get all the information they need without having to look away from the sky.
HUDs wouldn't make it to cars until 1988 when GM introduced a windshield display for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme's speedometer. The system has continued development with current Corvettes using displays to show almost everything that the driver would normally have to look at the instrument cluster for including speed, engine RPM, gear, oil temperature, fuel, and, in some models, G forces. However, the system has never had wide-scale appeal because the display has to be lined up with the seating position, and even then the driver has to refocus their eyes from the road to the windshield.
To crack these problems and increase the system's usefulness, GM's Research and Development, Carnegie Mellon, The University of Southern California and several other institutions are working together to create a new HUD dubbed the "Enhanced Vision System." While older HUDs use special glass to reflect lights in an in-dash display toward the driver, this new system draws the display directly by shooting ultraviolet lasers at a photoreactive coating on the windshield.
Cameras observe the driver's position and eye movement, adjusting the display so that it's always in sight. The image is angled in a way so that the left and right eyes perceive the display as being far in the distance. This lets the driver focus on both the display and the road at the same time instead of having to refocus on the windshield to read information.
The Enhanced Vision System does a lot more than display information from the dash. Boundary lines for roadways and lanes can be drawn onto the glass, aiding drivers in foggy and dark conditions. GPS information is also integrated into the system, identifying routes by drawing them directly in view of the road. Once the destination is in view, the system can draw a circle around the location.
GM is still trying to work out what information will be going into the system. Infrared cameras, like those used in GM's early night vision system, could be used to identify hazards like animals. This could also be integrated with radar systems, which are already used for variable cruise control systems, allowing the vehicle to highlight roadway obstructions. Technology from GM's Opel system may also find its way into the display: Their Eye system is able to identify road signs and warn the driver if they are exceeding the speed limit or are coming up on road construction.
No release date for the system has been set, although GM R&D lab manager Thomas Seder has said the system could be put in cars in the "near future."