How does heads-up display change driving experience?

New Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the latest car in India to receive a heads-up display or HUD. Usually, HUD is seen in modern aircraft and high-end cars. However, with the increasing volume of technology penetration in lower category cars, compact and mid-range models too are receiving this technology.

With the introduction of HUD in Maruti Suzuki Baleno, this technology has become a talking point for many. Here is how HUD can make driving interesting and convenient as well.

What is a heads-up display?

A heads-up display or HUD appears in the driver's line of sight. This technology displays information such as speed, distance covered, navigation guidance, warning lights and engine revs among others on the windscreen or any other transparent panel. This keeps the visibility of the driver intact because of the transparent display.

HUD technology was first introduced in military aviation back in the 1940s by the British Royal Air Force. The technology was later adopted by the automobile industry in the 1980s and several premium carmakers started offering their products with this technology.

How HUD came to the auto industry

In 1988, the limited Indy pace car edition of the Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible became the first car to have a HUD. This had a simple readout of the speedometer and indicators. Nissan became the first mass-market car brand to offer HUD as a standard feature with the 240SX in 1989.

How does HUD benefit a driver?

HUD is primarily an active safety feature that allows the driver to drive the vehicle without taking a view off the road. As the necessary pieces of information are shown on the windscreen via HUD technology, he or she doesn't need to check h conventional display at the instrument cluster. This is also a technology that increases the feel-good vibe and tech-savvy factor of the car.

There are two types of HUD systems available in the auto industry – projection-based and reflection-based. Projection-based HUD technology uses LED lights or lasers to project information on a specially treated part of the windscreen. Reflection-based HUD systems, on the other hand, use a digital display that shows various information on a specifically designed glass screen.

The projection-based HUD is sharper and more effective in terms of visual quality. Reflection-based HUD on the other hand is cheaper but comes with less sharpness in terms of visibility.