And it has some potential applications on the track too.
Chevrolet is working on a novel application of augmented reality technology, hoping to make the driving experience more informative and more entertaining by sending camera imagery from one car on a route to others that may follow, either directly afterward or days later. The patent, published by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) and discovered by CarBuzz, details how a first car could capture video from a camera and send it to a second car via a web-based interface, adding audio clips and GPS data to make the received feed more informative and/or entertaining.
The idea is that a driver can go on a route, and when activated, the system can record the route along with sound clips from the driver. These sound clips can be info bites informing others of the location of a point of interest, like a street vendor, a restaurant, a good hiking trail, the route to a lake, or some other landmark or attraction.
All the system needs are cameras, a GPS system, a head-up display or other screen, microphones, and speakers, most of which are standard in almost all modern vehicles.
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The driver can record the route they took to get there and can effectively act as a tour guide for any motorists who download the route map. Or, it could be used by groups of friends traveling in a convoy.
When downloaded, the car would play the sound bites as the car approaches the relevant points, and it could also superimpose images onto the windscreen.
In a simple application, the image could be an arrow to show which turnoff to take next, or it could be more expansive, showing a pothole on the righthand side of the lane you're in.
The patent also makes provision for the option of additional information, such as local details about the landscape. This could include things like nearby landmarks, seasonal flood risks, an annual migration of local fauna, heat wave warnings, dangerous wildlife in the region, a lack of cell reception over the next few miles, operating hours of souvenir shops, the menu of a local diner, or gas prices at the next station.
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Although not explicitly mentioned, potential high-speed applications present themselves. Augmented reality superimposed onto a screen and supported by audio prompts could help one to improve their driving without a human coach in the car. In fact, Ferrari has proposed just such a thing, albeit with much more complexity.
You could download track data for Willow Springs and try to emulate Randy Pobst's driving inputs to improve, or you could record yourself as you hoon a Chevrolet Camaro around the circuit, making audible comments every time you do something good or bad. This would allow you to review your own performances with distinct clarity and improve yourself as you drive.
If you'd rather go slow, we can see this becoming a useful addition to trail maps, where a map could explain to a novice how to position their truck as they tackle Hell's Gate.
The applications are potentially endless, and with this just another in a long line of augmented reality advances made in recent months, our bet is that the tech is coming to a car near you soon.
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Keyword: Chevrolet's Augmented Reality Head-Up Display Will Make Road Trips Way More Fun