Continental unveils augmented reality HUD

Continental has unveiled an industry-first full-colour demonstrator of an automotive-specific Head-up Display (HUD) based on waveguide technology.

This demonstrator is the result of the joint development with DigiLens Inc., one of the leading experts in projection technology enabled by switchable holographic gratings.

HUDs with graphic augmentations in a real-world view offer intuitive driver support. Embedding the augmentations in the real world makes the driver immediately understand where their attention is required and why.

For instance, virtual turn-by-turn navigation signs on the road make driving safer and easier. During automated driving, an AR-HUD can make the vehicle’s “sensing” and “planning” transparent.

“Head-up Displays, particularly those with large-area augmentation, provide optimum driver support. Thanks to our early investment in waveguide technology, we are now taking a big step forward towards ultra-compact AR-HUDs,” said Dr. Frank Rabe, Head of the Continental business unit Instrumentation & Driver HMI.

“We have successfully overcome the most challenging hurdle which is the instrument size. As a result, industrialising the AR-HUD in the vehicle is now within reach.”