Vehicle Heads Up Display

[Ben]

I'll likely get one of these (or a competitor's) after they're out a while and the price drops (and the software is up a couple of revisions). I think a heads up display would be much less distracting than using any physical equipment in a vehicle.

I already see a big difference in less distraction in my 4Runner with voice and steering wheel controls and bluetooth compared to my truck, where all I have is an audio jack to plug the phone in. I find this especially so with navigation. I'm much less distracted looking at the dash screen on the 4Runner than trying to glance at the phone screen looking for the next turn. Looking through a windshield at the information while my eyes are on the road would be a big plus. Seems to work for military pilots. :)

https://www.navdy.com/

[lupinus]

Looks nifty, but not nifty enough for the price.

Agree it might be interesting when the price drops quite a bit. Better yet when someone copies it and makes it better.

[MechAg94]

I am just waiting for the entire dash display to become a big customizable LED screen display.  I am sure it has been done a little, but I haven't seen it on the vehicles I would drive.

[lupinus]

Give it a few years. I figure like everything else that starts on high end cars it will trickle down quickly enough.

[MillCreek]

http://hudwayapp.com/

[dogmush]

Mrs. Mush's Mazda3 has a HUD.  It's handy as heck.  Speed, and if you are using nav, upcoming turns are projected onto a little screen that folds up out of the dash when you start the car.  I thought it was gimicky when we got it but it really is usefull, especially the nav part.

That, and blind spot monitoring/warning are about the best tech gadgets to come out in cars in the last 5 or so years.

ETA:  Having used Mazda's built in, but not as full featured version of that thing, I'd pay $300 for that*.  Unfortunatly my only, non HUD equipped, OBD II car is for sale.  But the functionality in that video is pretty dang good.

*Assuming it actually works.

[lupinus]

http://hudwayapp.com/

Damnit now I need to try another app

[AJ Dual]

Also, if you use the Torque app with one of those Bluetooth ODBII readers/links, there's an option to reverse the screen for HUD operation, and you just leave the phone or tablet on your dash, with whatever customized gauges you want.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Also, if you use the Torque app with one of those Bluetooth ODBII readers/links, there's an option to reverse the screen for HUD operation, and you just leave the phone or tablet on your dash, with whatever customized gauges you want.

That's what I do. I typically just use speed and engine temp

[Ben]

Also, if you use the Torque app with one of those Bluetooth ODBII readers/links, there's an option to reverse the screen for HUD operation, and you just leave the phone or tablet on your dash, with whatever customized gauges you want.

Huh. I did not know that. I'm gonna try it.

[Hawkmoon]

I do not like the concept of anything in the field of view when driving. I'm good with my speedometer and gauges below the top of the dashboard and out of the windshield field of view.

[K Frame]

I've driven HUD cars before.  I find them to be incredibly distracting.

[Boomhauer]

I don't see this as a good idea.

What I would like to see would be a FLIR setup for limited visability. That, that I would buy. I think GM had an experimental system right around the turn of the century and was researching but I haven't seen anything automotive since.

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

I'll likely get one of these (or a competitor's) after they're out a while and the price drops (and the software is up a couple of revisions). I think a heads up display would be much less distracting than using any physical equipment in a vehicle.

I already see a big difference in less distraction in my 4Runner with voice and steering wheel controls and bluetooth compared to my truck, where all I have is an audio jack to plug the phone in. I find this especially so with navigation. I'm much less distracted looking at the dash screen on the 4Runner than trying to glance at the phone screen looking for the next turn. Looking through a windshield at the information while my eyes are on the road would be a big plus. Seems to work for military pilots. :)

https://www.navdy.com/

How are you liking the 4Runner?  We are looking at buying one.

[charby]

I've driven HUD cars before.  I find them to be incredibly distracting.

GM had then in the late 1980's early 1990's and I agree.

[brimic]

I test drove a buick with HUD which was a pretty nifty setup. The car also had proximity sensors which warned you when other cars got close- got annoying really fast on tje freeway.

[Ben]

How are you liking the 4Runner?  We are looking at buying one.

I've had it for just over a year now and really like it. Body on frame, so a bit of a rougher ride than the grocery runner SUVs, but I'm guessing you already know that. And by "rougher" I mean not that rough at all. I have yet to get it in real snow (I understand the semi-AWD / semi fulltime 4WD 4Runner Limited is better in highway snow/rain, but according to a buddy who has one, not as great offroad), but have had it on some decently rutted trails, in sand, and in mud, and am pleased with performance there. I've got the Trail version with the KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) and have definitely felt it engage on a short, very rutted uphill outside June Lake, CA that I was thinking I had made a mistake taking without a partner vehicle along. I'm pretty sure it kept me from getting bottomed out.

The Trail also comes with the overhead dials for Crawl Control, etc. While it looks neat in the videos, I have tried every feature on it, and am not sure it gives any advantage, at least on trails in my comfort level. Maybe it's helpful for the real rock climbers, but I found just sticking the thing into Low (the features only work in Low 4WD) and doing things "manually" works best for me.

For the "comfort features", I have to say I really like the Entune Premium system and use the voice controls A LOT. Super handy, and everything works really seamlessly with my phone, from music to text messages.

Otherwise great fit and finish on everything, solid build, lots of room, and has been 100% reliable. I wouldn't have minded if the engine had about 20 or so more HP. Generally good all around acceleration, but sometimes  I wish it had a bit more "oomph" for quick passes on one lane roads. But I might be overly comparing it to my diesel truck, which passes in nothing flat when the turbos kick in.

[zxcvbob]

By sitting your cellphone on the dash with the brightness set just right, you can almost use it at night for a HUD GPS.  If it would just reverse the image up-and-down so it would reflect to the proper orientation.

[dogmush]

By sitting your cellphone on the dash with the brightness set just right, you can almost use it at night for a HUD GPS.  If it would just reverse the image up-and-down so it would reflect to the proper orientation.

You mean like the two apps that do just that mentioned upthread?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Getting brightness right as well as a good position on windshield is the key.
It works great on long trips for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[zxcvbob]

You mean like the two apps that do just that mentioned upthread?

Dang it.  That's what I get for not reading the whole thread before posting 

[lupinus]

Dang it.  That's what I get for not reading the whole thread before posting 

Slacker

[Ben]

GM had then in the late 1980's early 1990's and I agree.

 

[K Frame]

I don't see this as a good idea.

What I would like to see would be a FLIR setup for limited visability. That, that I would buy. I think GM had an experimental system right around the turn of the century and was researching but I haven't seen anything automotive since.

I'm pretty sure that Mercedes has a FLIR-type system in production.

[K Frame]

I simply use voice navigation when I'm driving somewhere. No need to look at the map. Just turn the volume all the way up on my phone and lay it on the passenger seat.