Apple Eyes Windshield With AR Capabilities

Screens on phones, computers and car dashboards never seem to be big enough. Apple is on the move to do something about that, at least in your car.

The tech giant recently applied for a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a windshield with augmented reality capabilities. The application indicates Apple has worked on the technology since 2015, though the application was published this month.

AR overlays digital imagery over the real world using various display technologies. Unlike a simple heads-up display that merely projects information, AR display can recognize physical reality and create graphics that interact with it, according to an article by The Drive.

The patent application says Apple's AR system would use various sensors to gather information about the environment to create a three-dimensional image of the car's surroundings. Data from a variety of cameras, including visible light, infrared, ultrasonic and light-based scanning devices, would help create the image, The Drive reported.

According to the application, the technology also would rely on geographical positioning and radar devices to develop 3D imagery. It suggests many uses for the technology, such as highlighting signs with relevant information, revealing navigation destinations when view of them is obstructed, The Drive reported.

Patent documentation also shows that the AR system may display simulated speed bumps if a motorist drives too fast. The AR system and car suspension might even work together to do so, according to the article.

The patent lacks details about how the technology would practically function, reported The Drive, pointing out that displaying a small heads-up display at the bottom of a windshield is vastly different from turning the entire windshield into a good-quality AR display.  

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today