Mercedes’ prototype holographic windshield display offers substantially higher resolution than current head-up displays, but it is not yet a practical replacement for passenger screens. The company says the production version will be smaller, quieter, brighter and less distorted, potentially turning a large section of the windshield into a screen for entertainment, navigation and other information.
A smaller, sharper production system
The production version will have a much smaller projector aperture than both the prototype and existing head-up displays. Manual Holstein, a manager involved in researching future displays at Mercedes, said the projector could be small enough to hide behind wood or metal trim. He also said the production model would produce no audible fan noise and would offer improved resolution.
The resolution was already significantly better than that of any current head-up display, including Mercedes’ own system with augmented-reality elements. During the demonstration, the prototype played a full-color, commercial-style video of the C-Class Electric. Holstein said the system was operating at only 20 percent of its maximum brightness, yet the display was still bright enough.
The technology still needs work
Despite those improvements, the display has important limitations. Its resolution may be impressive compared with the arrows, text and graphics shown by today’s head-up displays, but it remains poor when compared with passenger touchscreens. The video also had excessive contrast, and the image appeared compressed vertically because of the windshield’s angle.
In its current form, the system is not a compelling alternative to a phone, tablet or conventional passenger screen. It would need to improve by orders of magnitude before becoming a viable replacement. However, this is only a prototype. Holstein said the holographic film, or “eyebox,” could be considerably larger and taller in a production system, and dismissed the distortion as a problem specific to the prototype.
Possible uses beyond entertainment
Mercedes envisions almost half of the windshield becoming a virtual screen visible only to passengers. In addition to video and other entertainment, the holographic display could highlight points of interest visible through the windshield. A similar system could be installed on the driver’s side to show situational information, enable video calls or provide entertainment while the vehicle is parked.
In the future, Mercedes’ Level 3 autonomous-driving system could let drivers view more than just the road when they are permitted to take their eyes off it. At a minimum, the technology could eventually replace today’s head-up displays and their large projector housings.
Source: arstechnica.com
