Hands-on with GlobalTop HD100 GPS heads-up display

We had the chance to briefly go hands-on with the GlobalTop HUD GPS device this afternoon at CeBIT. Unfortunately, this occurred within the confines of a demonstration booth, not a fine German car. The heads-up display was certainly readable on the tinted screen. However, it was barely visible when we moved it to the side. Ok, it's a prototype device, but we left the booth wondering just how visible the speed and direction indicators would be along an open stretch of sunny PCH roadway -- especially when these are supposed to pop as early as next month in Europe for about $100. Best wait for a proper review before plunking down on this one.

Hands-on with GlobalTop GPS HUD

[Sandeep Posted Mar 16th 2007 10:09PM]

Reminds me a bit of the 90s GM cars (I think it was Buick or Oldsmobile) that offered this, radar systems, night vision, heck maybe even IR if you paid enough and were gullible enough to buy the car in the first place.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2007 1:04AM]

OMG.
I had an idea for a device like this, but to show the current song playing on your iPod(or other mp3 player if said device maker supports it)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2007 10:01AM]

So I'll have a big black square on my windshield? I'd rather move my eyes down 1/8" to see my dashboard gauges so I won't be as distracted by this black shape with bright orange animated digits in the middle of it.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2007 11:39AM]

GM still uses the HUDs in certain vehicles and I'm sure others do too.
The reason this isn't generally available in an aftermarket form is that auto manufacturers use optics so that your eyes focus further out than the windshield. The display appears to hover beyond the nose of the car. Additionally, I believe the windshield has a special
coating to reflect the hud property. Also, they use sensors to adjust the brightness so that you can see it in bright sunlight and not be blinded by it at night.

The problem with looking at the speedo is that your eyes must refocus from near infinity to 2 feet which takes a few ms and then a few more ms to refocus to near infinity to see the road.

Without these optics, the device will probably be worse than looking at the speedo particular if it's hard to see in all conditions.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2007 6:32PM]

http://www.waeco.de/ Waeco has similar product called MagicSpeed.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2007 6:43AM]

good