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Pioneer Preps Laser Heads-Up Display For Cars
itwbennett writes "On display at Japan's Ceatec show this week is a heads-up display from Pioneer that links with a smartphone's navigation system. The prototype uses a laser to display bright, high-contrast, full-color images on a screen that would be mounted above the dashboard so drivers don't have to take their eyes fully off the road in order to receive driving instructions from their robot overlords. The demonstration model was hooked up to an Android-based phone and displayed a navigation map on the left-hand side and an animated Android robot on the right-hand side that passed on information to drivers. 'We are currently aiming for an after-market product, but we are talking with car manufacturers,' said Masaya Hashida, tech manager at Pioneer's smart vision business development department."
An anonymous reader points out another gadget shown at Ceatec: a pair of augmented reality glasses that projects information to a user's peripheral vision and weighs only 20 grams.
Yes, but only this film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115964/
There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
I put my trust in the force when I drive, and the plastic Jesus on my dashboard.
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Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
Do not look forward with remaining eye.
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More distractions while driving. Is it too much to ask that people drive when behind the wheel?
If you NEED to use a phone while on the road please think of the people around you - carpool, use public transportation or take a taxi.
"...an animated Android robot"
Don't be fooled. It's Clippy in disguise.
"You appear to be driving along the edge of a cliff. Can I help you with that?"
...what happens when the computer or display goes haywire or sends you in to an uncharted area? Do you follow your sense of sight or do you just drive off the cliff? (too bad they didn't have these for Segways)
FTA: "The prototype uses a laser to display bright, high-contrast, full-color images on a screen that would be mounted above the dashboard, between the driver and the windscreen. To the driver the projected images would appear in the lower part of the windscreen."
Gives new meaning to the term 'distracted driving'
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
an animated Android robot on the right-hand side that passed on information to drivers
Am I the only one who thought of Mr. Clippy when I read this?
P.S. /. has disabled my ability to cut and paste.
If the quote is messed up it's because for some reason
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." [Thomas Jefferson]
...unless your name is Zaphod.
HEY what would be awesome is a 3D color display of the cars, pedestrians and roadway ahead of my vehicle.
that would be awesome!
So, does this mean that Microvision finally solved the green laser issue? From what I remember, their display is absolute badass packed into a box, but the green lasers on the market now are low volume, are expensive and require some fancy tricks to get them to work, making the overall design more expensive among other things.
If they ever get a green laser on par with their red or blues, then man this display will take off and you'll see it EVERYWHERE because it will be low power, small enough and cheap enough to put just about anywhere.
The last couple of cars I bought I refused the option of a built-in satnav. Nevermind that they are way over-priced compared to portable units - the real problem I have is placement. I can put a portable unit right on the dash in front of me so I barely have to take my eyes off the road. Almost all of the built-in satnavs have their display half-way down the middle console where it is a major distraction to look at. Infiniti, and I think Volvo, used to have satnavs that popped up in the middle of the dashboard so at least the driver did not need to look down into the car in order to see the screen, but for some reason their newer models dropped that design and went to the crappy placement.
When information is power, privacy is freedom.
The cute animations can and will distract attention. This alone may pose a threat to driving. I myself tested driving with a GPS unit and found it distracting and just another excuse to not develop your sense of orientation. I prefer to rely on my own skills, if I get lost, I have maps in my car and pull over to consult them instead of trying to do too much at the same time while driving.
Tomorrow is another day...
The cute animation is indeed the worst idea since clippy. But I thoroughly disagree with your comments on GPS generally.
It's often not possible (illegal) to pull over. Meanwhile your mind can become distracted from the lower level functions of driving by the problem of trying to work out where you should be going. And stress levels can rise if you become lost or don't know if you will be late to your destination. It's far better to delegate the navigation task to a machine that can do a far better job of it when you are in an unknown area.
So long as the Sat Nav has a voice, so you don't have to keep monitoring the screen, it's a real help.
I mean, if you had a passenger, you'd let them do the map reading, right? Well a Sat Nav does a far better job than they would.
Oh, and on average you'll get there quicker and use less fuel with a Sat Nav too.
Though people overdo - I've seen far too many times to count a car from my (small / impossible to get lost in) place, driving directly towards it on a ubermain route & short distance away, in the night, with GPS unit blasting at their eyes with its screen at full brightness.
And that's when it's easy to notice (despite not that many people having satnav in my part of the woods) / how many other times GPS units are used in a detrimental or outright dangerous way?
One that hath name thou can not otter
You nailed it. The idea sounds incredibly retarded, dangerous as all getout.
Jesus, I have trouble concentrating on reading the paper with moving flashing doodads on the page distracting me. People can't even talk on the phone without driving worse than a drunk!
This is the dumbest idea I've heard of in a long time. Now, if they had it attached to a radar to warn of coming up too close to objects, and and an IR sensor to warn of animals and pedestrians, it would be a good idea. But jesus h. christ, this idea is just retardedly dangerous. WTF's wrong with a voice saying "turn left at the next intersection" like GPSes do now? What purpose does an animated robot serve?
Free Martian Whores!
It looks like you're trying to turn left.
Cancel or allow?