Jaguar Land Rover previews transparent pillar technology

Jaguar Land Rover has released further details of its radical '360 Virtual Urban Windscreen' technology.

First teased on the Land Rover Discovery Vision concept earlier this year, it uses augmented reality technology to give the driver a 360deg view outside the car.

The technology uses screens embedded in each pillar inside the car. These screens receive a live feed from exterior cameras which cover angles that can be obscured by blind spots.

Jaguar Land Rover says this technology would allow cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles to be visible around the car. When the driver moves their head and indicates to change direction, the system automatically makes the left or right pillars 'transparent'.

When the virtual windscreen is connected to the Cloud, the firm says the technology also has the capability to present information such as the number of nearby available parking spaces or petrol station prices. 

It could also make driving off-road easier because the driver can not only see the terrain ahead but can also track the position of the front wheels. 

Jaguar Land Rover is also developing 'Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation', which projects a vehicle image in front of the driver's car for them to follow to their destination.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of R&D at Jaguar Land Rover, said the transparent pillar technology would also be highly useful in urban conditions.

"Driving on city streets can be a stressful experience, but imagine being able to drive across town without having to look at road signs, or be distracted trying to locate a parking space as you drive by," he said. 

"We want to present all this information on a heads-up display in the driver's eye-line, so the driver doesn't have to seek it out for themselves and take their eyes off the road ahead."

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