While walking through CES 2013, we happened upon something intriguing from JVC Kenwood. The company had a prototype laser heads-up display (HUD) on the floor that sports some interesting features, and that could soon show up as standard equipment on a variety of automobiles.
The new display, which the company describe as "a laser scanning module heads-up display," is able to project information such as current speed, caller ID and more on the inside surface of the windshield. As with other HUD systems, this means that drivers won't have to look down at all in order to receive a call or speak, using a hands-free device.
The motor that projects the image is a micro electromechanical system that is capable of 512 lines of resolution – it features red, green, and blue lasers. A major difference between JVC Kenwood's HUD and others that are available in many luxury cars is a lack of background light. This creates a tighter image, that should prove less intrusive to drivers.
The device is capable of creating an image that is about 10 inches (25.4 cm) across, which should be large enough for drivers to see without losing focus on the road in front of them. The actual box that projects the image is about 5 x 3 inches (12.7 x 7.62 cm).
JVC Kenwood doesn't have final plans for what exactly it's going to do with this technology. At CES, however, the company was looking for interest from third-party manufacturers, and seemed confident that the technology that would be big in terms of third-party head units. Pricing will depend on which manufacturer licenses the system.
Ultimately, this means that more vehicles could see HUDs installed, and not just the ultra high-end.
Source: JVC Kenwood