Augmented Reality Head-Up Display from Volkswagen!

With the augmented reality head-up display, Volkswagen is opening a new chapter in information displays for the driver. Although the new technology is a real world first, Volkswagen decided to introduce it in a volume model. The brand is thus continuing its strategy of offering high-tech features at affordable prices. "We have brought a real innovation into series production," says Development Director Frank Welsch. “And not in a premium vehicle, but in the compact models of the fully electric ID. Family. Making future-oriented technologies accessible to many customers is one of Volkswagen's core competencies. "

important information on the windshield

Two fields, two levels. The augmented reality head-up display projects important information onto the windshield, in two separate fields and levels. The large window for the dynamic displays lies at a virtual distance of around 10 meters in the driver's field of vision; it is around 1,8 meters diagonal. Information from the assistance systems as well as the turning arrows and starting and destination points of the navigation appear in this long-range window. The near-range window lies under the large far-range window as a flat band. It presents the current speed, the traffic signs as well as the assistance and navigation symbols as static displays. You seem to be floating about three meters in front of the driver.

Advertisements are placed over the real outside world

All advertisements are placed appropriately over the real outside world and displayed dynamically. When the vehicle approaches an intersection at which it should turn according to the navigation route, the driver sees two instructions: in the first step, an advance notice in the lane level and then three arrows at the intersection. The closer he gets to the intersection, the larger the arrows become, while their textures fade to keep the view of the road clear. When developing all of the representations, Volkswagen followed the basic principle “less is more”. This means that under no circumstances should the driver be flooded with stimuli.

Notes and warnings. The Lane Assist function is also visualized in the far-range window: if the vehicle approaches a boundary line on the edge of the lane without flashing, this is displayed in orange. When you switch on Travel Assist, which guides the car in the middle of the lane, two green lines appear. When driving to follow, the display marks the vehicle in front with a colored stripe, provided that the ACC distance control or Travel Assist is active. When the assistance systems are switched off, the driver sees a red warning signal if he drives so close that a critical situation arises.

Deep inside the instrument panel. The technical heart of the augmented reality head-up display is the picture generation unit (PGU), which is located deep inside the instrument panel. A particularly bright LCD display sends the bundles of rays that it generates onto two level mirrors; special optics separate the components for the near and far levels. The flat mirrors direct the rays onto a large concave mirror with electrical adjustment. From there, they get onto the windshield and thus into the driver's field of vision. At an apparent distance of almost 10 meters, he sees the symbols just as clearly as the real environment.

The so-called AR Creator, in one of the two central computers in the ID. Models. The AR Creator calculates the placement of the symbols according to the environment. The basis for this is provided by raw data from the front camera, the radar sensor and the navigation map. The displays that appear in the large window are stabilized against the movements of the car and adapted to the geometry of the projection optics.

Start in ID.4. The ID.4, Volkswagen's first e-world car, is launching into the European markets with eight preconfigured models. Prices start at 36.950 euros (with 19 percent VAT), of which 9.000 euros net subsidies in Germany. The augmented reality head-up display is part of the “Plus” infotainment package, which also includes the “Discover Pro” navigation system and touch display.

The future of mobility is electric. As part of the “Transform 2025+” strategy, the Volkswagen brand will invest eleven billion euros in electromobility by 2024. The ID.4 as the first fully electric SUV from Volkswagen is the second model of the ID after the ID.3. Family. This new, independent product range recently added to the brand's classic product portfolio.