Virtual Cable nav system superimposes route guidance on your windshield in 3D

We've seen quite a few next-gen nav device concepts, but none with as much potential as the Virtual Cable, from a New Jersey company called Making Virtual Solid. The system uses a laser, a set of lenses, and a moving mirror mounted in the dashboard to project a 3D route-guidance line above the road ahead, as though it's actually out in front of the driver. Besides making driving that much more like a video game, the company says mass-produced versions will cost somewhere around $400 as a factory-installed option, and can be easily interfaced with existing GPS systems. Sadly, there don't appear to be any live videos of the system in action, but judging from the number of patent applications and incredibly detailed schematics and explanations on the website, the vapor factor seems pretty low. Check the read link for a set of video mockups of the system in action.

[Craig B. @ Dec 17th 2007 11:10PM]

I can imagine how many GPS mishaps there will be when the mirror's motors go bad! In all seriousness, this does look pretty cool though. But what if there are cars in front of you - this won't really help all that much....

[Charlie Calhoun @ Dec 18th 2007 1:34AM]

So what if there are?? It interfaces with GPS, GPS knows how fast you are going and where you are, it's not going to start moving the line even if you slow down, it will move according to your position at that moment...

[MrSid @ Dec 18th 2007 2:41AM]

I'm kind of concerned what happens if you move your heard two inches to the left. Or right. Think about it....

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 18th 2007 4:16AM]

"if you move your heard two inches to the left"

You might lose a sheep or two on the cliff sides, but eventually, you'll make it to your destination.

[Ben W @ Dec 18th 2007 4:17PM]

It wouldn't matter if you moved your head to the left by two inches, or if you had the person in the passenger seat telling you where to turn. Thanks to holography, the beam is projected out to infinity, paralax-free. The best example of this is on weapon sights, with the relatively new EOTech holographic sights you can move your head around, but so long as you are able to see through the sight, the reticle will remain on the target (the reticle will appear to move to compensate for your own motion).

So long as that is the method they go with, all should be fine and dandy with concern to movement of the driver within the vehicle, and the technology is pretty cheap so far as I know; they've been able to scale it down to fit on a rifle, and it only costs around $500.

[jtc970 @ Dec 17th 2007 11:10PM]

Great, even easier... for grandpa to end up on the train tracks

[engadget @ Dec 17th 2007 11:41PM]

If "Grandpa" is ending up on the tracks because of a little red line, maybe they shouldn't be driving in the first place.

[Luigi193 @ Dec 17th 2007 11:11PM]

I for one, think that its an awesome idea!

[Snipermonky @ Dec 17th 2007 11:53PM]

What I want to know now is the excuses people will come up with when they follow the Virtual Cable into a river or swamp. I mean this is displayed on the windshield...

[Ellianth @ Dec 18th 2007 12:28AM]

Well it might tell them to go into a swamp. But we all know that they're going to follow it into oncoming traffic LONG BEFORE they get to the swamp :p.

[Jordan Job @ Dec 18th 2007 8:42AM]

Pacman anyone?

[Harkonian @ Dec 18th 2007 12:09PM]

Unless they've found a way to bend laser light using those mirrors you won't be seeing that curved line going around the corner...

[Elliot Woods @ Dec 18th 2007 1:43PM]

The laser doesn't bend!!!
The mirrors rapidly scan out a curved line, so the curved line is a single point where the laser meets the windscreen. This single points moves fast enough to appear to make a single line.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 17th 2007 11:17PM]

After 3 Long Island Ice Teas I see those lines while I'm driving.

[Derek @ Dec 17th 2007 11:21PM]

Don't drink and drive please....

[Austin @ Dec 17th 2007 11:58PM]

Unless you are drink and driving around those who follow their GPS into the river... Its Darwinism!

[paul34 @ Dec 18th 2007 12:50AM]

Well, so long as you follow those lines you see straight into a wall at 70 MPH without hitting anyone else, that's great! If road scum like you can kill yourselves, it makes the road for people with common sense like us a safer place to be.

[Dustin @ Dec 18th 2007 12:16PM]

I think he was joking....sheesh people

[jason @ Dec 18th 2007 12:40PM]

Wow. It was clearly a joke!

[Dave @ Dec 17th 2007 11:20PM]

Cool! I think people will be slightly less likely to drive into bodies of water or houses--since they'll actually be looking out rather than down. If I saw the line going through a house, I might be less likely to trust the GPS.

[JohnTitor @ Dec 17th 2007 11:20PM]

cool, how about some ultra sonic sensors to detect cards and obstructions and then just let the car drive itself?

[Darkest Daze @ Dec 17th 2007 11:36PM]

I agree. Head on collisions with cards is the #1 cause of automobile fatalities. I know I almost got hit by an 8 of hearts the other day.

[3rdsun @ Dec 17th 2007 11:23PM]

what kind of name is Making Virtual Solid. Sounds like a rockband.

[skhawaja @ Dec 18th 2007 12:51AM]

Sounds more like a Laxative from engrish named kompany :p

[ponchato @ Dec 17th 2007 11:27PM]

Did anyone notice that the third video looks exactly like the first one, only darker?

[Kyrra @ Dec 17th 2007 11:37PM]

Haha, it is. Well done noticing it.

[Brent @ Dec 21st 2007 9:23PM]

It IS the same video. If you look at the shadows from the sun in the first and look at the shadows in the third they are the same. The light pole shadow is stationary right before the turn. This suggests a stationary light source not headlights from a moving car.

It's hard to think of this not as vaporware if they are faking their demonstrations this early in the game. Hey could have at least said "simulated" as a disclaimer. Makes me think the entire thing is just in the idea stage with good video editing software.

[Jagster @ Dec 18th 2007 12:06PM]

^^^ The menu states "Simulation Videos"

[Jon Doe @ Dec 17th 2007 11:29PM]

They needs to be dots instead of lines and through the speakers you hear that famous BUCKA, BUCKA, BUCKA, BUCKA, BUCKA sound as the dots disappear.

[facebookfake @ Dec 17th 2007 11:50PM]

I think you mean WACKA WACKA WACKA WACKA WACKA.

[dhughes @ Dec 17th 2007 11:53PM]

I've always heard it as WAKKA WAKKA WAKKA.

[skhawaja @ Dec 18th 2007 12:52AM]

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM

[RedBull Runner @ Dec 18th 2007 3:34AM]

Speed Up! The Ghost Is Behind Us!

[randy @ Dec 17th 2007 11:39PM]

I'm not buying an OEM nav system until auto manufacturers STOP making me buy leather seats, and sunroof and satellite radio with it. What is with those people? Why don't they just let me equip my car the way I want it?

[Jeremy W @ Dec 18th 2007 12:44AM]

The more different combinations of options you're allowed to choose from, the more different vehicles need to be built, and the more the car company's costs go up.

The fact of the matter is, the people who want a nav system are very likely to be the same people who want leather seats. So combining them and saving on costs makes sense.

[Keane @ Dec 18th 2007 12:44PM]

I believe Scion does what you mentioned..

[Douglas Bailey @ Dec 17th 2007 11:43PM]

It's been a long time coming but this is going to be one of the best ways to guide flying cars (or whatever you want to call them). Be in the sky there it would be costly/impractical to have a center line. (Think Back to the Future 2).

@ Dave: I know what you mean about looking out the window but I can't help thinking that because people see the line, they will just follow it around corner's without consideration to give way rules. :(

[Dan Bugglin @ Dec 17th 2007 11:45PM]

Cue news story about someone who followed the red line right into another car in 32.. 2... 1...

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 18th 2007 4:19AM]

You missed 31 through 3

[Reader @ Dec 17th 2007 11:47PM]

If it actually is accurately superimposed over the road it wins my Best Gadget of the Year reward.

[Reader @ Dec 17th 2007 11:48PM]

Award, reward, same dif...

[Skemo @ Dec 17th 2007 11:50PM]

Someone plows into a house, "Well the lines said this was the turn off!"

[Noah @ Dec 17th 2007 11:50PM]

Haha, I saw this a few hours ago, and you know what's funny? That's literally 5 minutes walking distance from where I live. I watched the video, said, "Huh..." and sure enough, it's the nearby traffic circle. Weird.

[Reginald @ Dec 18th 2007 12:09AM]

Yeah, something like this would be very helpful in South NJ with all those jug-handles and crazy traffic circles. Driving through NJ with GPS is already tricky.

[Eric @ Dec 17th 2007 11:52PM]

This is exactly what GPS systems need. I think that this is what the perfected GPS has. Only the interface might need to be improved. the only thing easier would be the car driving you to your destination.

[elam110 @ Dec 17th 2007 11:58PM]

Hmm...I am an idiot...I should probably read more...

[Lou Brucker @ Dec 18th 2007 12:08AM]

Ha! I must live in the same town as the company is located, because one of those 3 videos was filmed not 5 miles from my house.

[Shyam D @ Dec 18th 2007 12:09AM]

Imagine getting a rock chip on your brand new 3d Nav Wind Shield.
"I just bought the car, and now i have to pay $4000 to get a rock chip fixed. Yah $4000, it's because of that new fangled 3D Nav."

Also, anyone else think this would make it seem as if one were playing GTA?
Thats the game that comes to mind when I think of 3d Nav in the Windshield itself.

[Johnny @ Dec 18th 2007 12:17AM]

After playing GTA for extended periods of time, i DO have a tendency to drive up onto the curb and not make any effort to avoid pedestrians.

[Jeremy W @ Dec 18th 2007 12:46AM]

"Imagine getting a rock chip on your brand new 3d Nav Wind Shield."

The windshield isn't what's special. The system uses lasers to project the red line onto the windshield. So it's a totally passive component in the system.