Land Rover is testing a new technology called "Transparent Bonnet" that can give drivers a clearer view of the road under the front wheels by making the hood see-through.
Land Rover, one of the biggest luxury 4WD car makers, is bringing a new car concept that gives drivers an augmented reality view of the road under the car's hood. The technology "Transparent Bonnet" will first be demonstrated at the New York International Auto Show next week between April 18 and April 27.
The bonnet of the car isn't actually transparent. Using the virtual imaging concept, the technology makes the bonnet invisible.
The British auto maker released a demo video that shows the new tech in action. The less-than-a-minute long video explains that the SUV is equipped with a wide-angle camera in the car's grill. The camera captures the footage of the ground ahead and feeds it to a heads-up display situated on the hood.
The display creates an illusion, making the car's hood see-through and enhances the view of the terrain. The technology can help detect obstacles under the car's wheels.
"As our vehicles become more capable and autonomous off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to allow the car to continue to progress, over any terrain," Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover, said in a press statement, Wednesday. "We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Bonnet to give drivers an augmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of an urban car park."
The new Transparent Bonnet technology can be useful while driving on a steep elevated road or navigating in a confined space. The heads-up display on the bonnet will not just capture the terrain in front of the car but also show the angle and position of the front wheels.
As shown in the video, the camera view covers a wide range of the road from the top of the hood on the driver's end until the front and under the grill, Mashable reports.
The new technology from Land Rover is still a concept and there is no indication of when and how it will be deployed in the future.
