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Garmin unveils portable HeadUp Display
Article by: Darren Griffin
Date: 8 Jul 2013
Garmin have unveiled HUD, a portable Head-Up Display that can project clear navigation directions onto your vehicle's windscreen or an attached reflector lens. The tech is similar to that employed in jet aircraft and keeps a drivers eyes looking out of the window and not down at an instrument panel, hence the term 'head up'.
For the HUD receive its navigation information you'll need a compatible Bluetooth-enabled smartphone running Garmin StreetPilot or Navigon Mobile Navigation. HUD is designed to provide the most important information, including turn instructions, ETA, Lane Assist and speed directly in your line of sight. The brightness of the projected data is controlled automatically so that they remain visible in bright sunlight and do not distract at night.
It's a great idea, one that we're seeing more and more of in premium vehicles and we applaud Garmin for producing a transportable unit that has the flexibility to connect to an Android, Apple or Windows 8 smartphone.
I'm a huge fan of HUD technology, back in 2007 I reviewed a GPS HUD speedometer (see here) and it's surprising that it has taken quite so long for a solution such as this to come to market, but I'm delighted that it has nonetheless. HUD will be available later this summer at an RRP of $129.99.
Source: www.garmin.com/hud
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| Comments
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 Posted by M8TJT on Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:19 pm |
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Or no doubt £129.99 in UK 
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| Posted by sussamb on Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:37 pm |
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Can't see the point of it in its current format though. I'd rather see my GPS map with all the directions rather than something that is just numbers and arrows 
Where there's a will ... there's a way. |
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| Posted by MaFt on Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:08 pm |
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I think the point is that the basic instructions are there, in front of you eyes without having to turn your head to much.
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| Posted by Kremmen on Tue Jul 09, 2013 5:37 am |
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| sussamb Wrote: | | Can't see the point of it in its current format though. I'd rather see my GPS map with all the directions rather than something that is just numbers and arrows |
My 2013 Honda Civic has a double din SatNav mounted just under the central air vents which I think is far too low but this is backed up by an almost eye level what Honda call an i-Mid screen. (Multi info display)
The i-Mid, when selected to show SatNav info, will also just show basic info about your next turn or roundabout exit. It's in a position so you don't need to take your eyes off the road and the minimal info works well.
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3 |
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| Posted by sussamb on Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:08 am |
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| MaFt Wrote: | | I think the point is that the basic instructions are there, in front of you eyes without having to turn your head to much. |
That may be useful for some, but I mount my GPS in the right hand lower corner of my screen and so it's constantly in my field of view. I had a Ford Mondeo Zetec Nav with a built in satnav that only gave 'minimal directions' like the garmin HUD, and it was useless in many situations since you couldn't see which road the 'turn left arrow' or whatever was referring to.
Now if it projected the map as well ... 
Where there's a will ... there's a way. |
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| Posted by MaFt on Tue Jul 09, 2013 8:38 am |
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| sussamb Wrote: | | That may be useful for some |
Which is what I think most businesses accept when they create new products...
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| Posted by druck on Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:43 am |
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It's not a HUD, it's just a mirrored display reflecting off a patch of the windscreen, like many other products which have been around for years.
You still need to adjust your focus from the road to the distance of the dash to be able to see it, which just as bad for distraction, as if it is stuck on the windscreen.
For it to be a proper HUD like in fighter aircraft, there needs to be a lens so that the image is focused at infinity, allowing you to clearly see both the road and the display at the same time.
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| Posted by PeterSm on Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:35 am |
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Would this be legal in the UK..?? Didnt BMW try something recently and then withdraw it when there were some sort of problems..?
good idea though....
DriveSmart 61 LMT-D |
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| Posted by Darren on Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:49 am |
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| PeterSm Wrote: | Would this be legal in the UK..?? Didnt BMW try something recently and then withdraw it when there were some sort of problems..?
good idea though.... |
Built-in solutions are already available as standard fit or options on a number of vehicles here in the UK.
Darren Griffin |
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