Hyundai wants to make the entire windshield a full-display screen

Taken the idea of a head-up display and expanded it onto the entire front windshield.

Hyundai Mobis, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, is said to have partnered with Zeiss - the German Optical giant, to develop what they call "Holographic Windshield Display".

The South Korean company feels that the new technology could potentially eliminate all screens from the car's dashboard and instead make "the entire windshield becomes a full-display screen". The two companies are said to have taken the idea of a head-up display and expanded it onto the entire front windshield. However, while the current HUD tech only displays information like speed & navigation, the new system will include entertainment, audio controls, video, vehicle menus and even games.

The concept image showcases what seems to be the dashboard of a Kia EV9. The dashboard is devoid of both the instrument console and central touchscreen, with all the information being projected across the entire width of the windshield.

As to how it works, Mobis and Zeiss state that an ultra-thin film capable of displaying holograms is coated onto the front windshield, while a projector is mounted somewhere on the dashboard. Both companies claim that the display will be transparent, making it non-obstructive. It will also be designed in a way that it doesn't distract the driver - meaning what the driver sees will be different from what the front passenger sees on the same glass. While neither of the two companies has stated how the screens could be operated, reports do suggest voice and/or gesture controls.

Mobis stated, "Imagine navigation and driving information unfolding like a panorama across the wide, transparent windshield where the driver’s gaze rests." The company further mentioned, "Passengers next to the driver watch movies or other videos on the vehicle’s glass. While viewing the latest video, a video call comes in, and a friend’s welcome face appears in the corner of the glass screen. This dream technology, previously existing only in movies or advertisements, is about to become reality."

It went on to add, "Another advantage is that it can completely transform the interior front design of vehicles by eliminating various display devices mounted on the dashboard while providing an unobstructed, open feeling without interfering with the driver’s and passengers’ field of vision."

Source: AutomotiveNews