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.

[jeremyjwebstudioscom Posted 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.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 12:14AM]

Lets just hope it doesn't ever crash, or else it would be giving "Blue screen of death" a whole new meaning.

[Reginald Posted Dec 18th 2007 12:16AM]

Pontiac did something like this in the early 90s with the speedometer heads-up display projected onto the windshield, very much like Knight-Rider. Not terribly useful but cool nonetheless.

http://www.dupont.com/safetyglass/lgn/stories/zimages/1004z.jpg

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 12:26AM]

yea, there have been numerous HUD displays, Cadillac has one that is tied into a night vision camera in the front of the car...

[the steven Posted Dec 18th 2007 12:52AM]

Build this into my Nolan N-102 and I'll give you my first born!

[placeman Posted Dec 18th 2007 8:21PM]

Wow. Someone definitely lost his sense of humor.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 6:51AM]

I'd prefer a large, stylized yellow arrow pointing directly to my destination, with a small birds eye view of my immediate surroundings in the bottom right corner of the windshield.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 3:28AM]

Uhhhhhhh....

"It has low power consumption (< 20W continous) yet it can be visible against the sky or snow on a sunny day (its brightness is automatically adjusted based on the ambient light)."

20 WATTS?!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 3:38AM]

Well consumer laser devices are usually rated at the miliwatt level. Your average legal hand held laser pointer is only a mere 5mw. At 300mw on a handheld you can burn through items. At a full watt of laser power you can cut through steel.

Guess what I'm saying is that you don't need that much power to achieve a lot out of a laser system. 20w sounds about right for an electronic gadget circuitry and laser needs of that scope me thinks.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:41AM]

Another advantage for Illegal Aliens to maneuver around this country without the hassle of stopping and asking a police officer in a sanctuary city where to sign up for foodstamps, unemployment benefits and free medical care.

Yea.. I know I'm way off base with this comment, but I just couldn't resist.. Sorry if I offended anyone, but if one person found it humorous, it was worth it!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 5:51AM]

I for one welcome our time saving guidance redline overlords!

[weg Posted Dec 18th 2007 5:55AM]

So does the system automatically detect the direction the driver is looking, so that the perspective can be adapted? Otherwise, the 3D image projected by this gadget will be plain wrong...

[Crono141 Posted Dec 20th 2007 2:53PM]

yeah, "forward". because it projects on the windshield, not your cornea.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 10:22AM]

Very Donnie Darko - follow the red light to the demon bunny...

[jasahl Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:02PM]

Given that as a man, I never get lost, why would I need this?

However, as a man, I must have cool gadgets, I need this.

How does one resolve this paradox?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 1:19PM]

I like it because it is clean and simple display.

Just follow the red line.

But from watching the videos I noticed I was looking up. It might be better if they could make the line look like it was superimposed onto the road itself. This might be better especially for older drivers.

[elliot Posted Dec 18th 2007 1:43PM]

One way of making this move to the next generation would be to add windshield overlays for other information, e.g. how fast the car in front of you is driving, the names of streets labelled above them so you never miss a turn. inevitably there'll be some 3rd party plugins to do things like "spot hitchikers" or give traffic information for each road leading out of a junction.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 3:39PM]

Wouldn't it be easier to follow if the line was projected as if it was actually on the road instead of hovering above it?

You know, like most people are used to following the lines on the road. Or at least staying between them.

[imthatoneguy Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:47PM]

How do they compensate for drift? If you swerve a bit the line would still be pointed straight ahead. If your car pitches down the line would pitch down. They might be able to make it holographic to compensate for your head's parallax but do they also intend to integrate inertial sensors and gyros to compensate for the bumps and orientation of the vehicle?

[Garst Posted Dec 19th 2007 8:39PM]

This is all well and good until someone puts a dead body on your roof and a stream of blood trickles down and confuses you which way to go.