- Land Rover unveils Transparent Bonnet virtual imaging concept
- New level of driver awareness with a ‘see-through’ augmented reality view of the terrain ahead, making the front of the vehicle ‘virtually’ invisible from inside the cabin
- Technology offers full visibility of what is beneath and in front of the car, with total clarity of otherwise hidden obstacles
- Transparent Bonnet is part of a suite of new concept technologies to be showcased in Land Rover’s Discovery Vision Concept car at the New York International Auto Show
Pioneering technology is being developed to give Land Rover drivers a digital version of the terrain ahead by making the front of the vehicle virtually invisible. Cameras situated in the vehicle’s grille capture data used to feed a Heads-Up Display, effectively creating a see-through view of the terrain through the engine bay and hood, breaking new ground in visual driver assistance. The technology named Transparent Bonnet by its creators, shows how advanced technology will take Land Rover’s unrivalled capability to the next level.
The technology allows a driver climbing a steep incline or maneuvering in a confined space to see an augmented reality view of capturing not only terrain in front of the car, but also the position and angle of front wheels. Dr. Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover said “We believe the next 25 years will be the most exciting and dynamic the automotive industry has ever experienced. There will be huge strides in environment innovation, in safety and capability.”
“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. 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.”
Opening the doors to advanced research of Jaguar Land Rover, the Discovery Vision Concept car is a design and technology showcase which will be revealed in full at the New York International Motor Show on 16th April, 2014. The concept demonstrates design vision of Land Rover for a future family of premium sports utility vehicle built on the company’s key principles of unrivalled capability, ultimate versatility and emotive design. From the city to the sand dunes, Land Rover’s new, driver assisting technology will enable smarter, more enjoyable and safer driving in the SUVs of tomorrow.
