Car brands embrace augmented reality

The augmented reality is booming and is being used more and more in the automotive industry to enhance the driver's experience, making it more complete and safer. Many car manufacturers, such as Honda, Mitsubishi and BMW, have integrated augmented reality into their cars, offering drivers cutting-edge features such as real-time navigation, 360-degree viewing and the display of important information directly on the windscreen.

1. MBUX and its connected navigation

German car brand Mercedes is now offering its users an augmented reality experience for a more immersive and intuitive driving experience. Thanks to an infotainment system called MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), drivers can access all kinds of information relating to their driving in real time. Available on the central screen of the dashboard and projected in front of them, this information concerns driving or the direction of the driver's navigation. Voice, touch and gesture commands also enable them to interact directly with this information, offering a more practical and personalised driving experience.

As far as the price of this technology is concerned, it's important to bear in mind that German manufacturers are often associated with cutting-edge technology, and this has repercussions on the price. The Mercedes MBUX system is therefore priced at €1,400, to which an additional €100 will be added if the driver wishes to benefit from connected navigation.

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2. Augmented reality in the Mitsubishi SUV

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi unveiled its Hybrid SUV called Mi-Tech. The Japanese company's primary aim is to warn of dangers by integrating augmented reality into the vehicle's dashboard. So whether drivers find themselves in the middle of a fog or in a valley full of geysers, Mitsubishi's technology can alert them before the incident even affects the vehicle. The warning messages appear in augmented reality on the car's windscreen, allowing the driver to process the information while keeping his or her eyes on the road. Pretty impressive, isn't it?

3. Jaguar Land Rover: panoramic view in augmented reality

With the same vision as Mercedes, Jaguar has gone one step further with augmented reality. The British manufacturer's latest concept is based on the transparency of the vehicle's pillars. This gives the driver a 360-degree view by eliminating the blind spots created by the bodywork around the windscreen and side pillars. Using exterior cameras, real-time images are projected onto the pillars using a display system. This function is activated only if the driver turns his or her head, activates one of the indicators or if a pedestrian is about to cross the road.

Soon, a new concept is also set to appear on the market, namely the See-Through System. Developed by a team of researchers at the University of Porto in Portugal, it enables you to see through the bodywork of a vehicle thanks to a dynamic head-up display. This makes overtaking a lorry easier and less dangerous when you can see through it.

4. BMW and the augmented reality windscreen

BMW is offering a new feature using augmented reality inside the car. Called Panoramic Vision, it offers drivers a 360-degree view thanks to several cameras located on the vehicle. These images are then projected onto the central screen of the dashboard, making driving safer for drivers who no longer need to look away from the road. For greater comfort, the selected information will appear across the entire length of the windscreen, with enhanced light intensity and contrast.

To benefit from this new immersive technology, we will have to wait until 2025, when 6 new car models will be marketed.