GM is developing a full-size, in-your-face Heads-Up Display that will hopefully revolutionize the windshield. Exciting, right?
The General has called in the best and brightest from universities across the land in order help it take the next step in driver safety. The goal: to "[turn] the entire windshield into a transparent display that would illuminate the road during conditions of low visibility". Aaaaand science fiction is one step closer to reality. Love it.
In theory, vehicles would be internally equipped with a laser projector (mounted near the dome light, perhaps?) that would project light onto a phosphor-coated windshield.
When the light hits the windshield, the phosphor particles would get excited and glow. This would serve as a windshield-wide HUD and night vision system.
The resulting glow would be able to highly define edges of roads, signs, and people, drastically cutting drivers' need to take their eyes off the road (as with most current night-visions systems).
If you need me to hold your hand through the explanation of how this technology could benefit you, clearly you've never driven home on a dark, stormy, foggy, blizzard-y night.
Next on the list for GM? My vote goes toward that transparent aluminum from Star Trek IV.
- By Phil Alex
