GPS, Springteq introduces WeGo HUD / GPS for your auto
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted June 10th 2010 1:52PM
posted June 10th 2010 1:52PM
This certainly isn't the first automobile HUD we've seen, although, to be quite honest, we're still pretty appalled by the lack of futuristic displays in our whips. Manufactured by Springteq of Taiwan, the WeGo HUD navigator integrates a GPS to project navigation data on your windshield. The projector itself features 400 x 240 resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, and a 4.5-inch image size. Brightness automatically adjusts depending on ambient light levels (courtesy of an optical sensor) and controls are mounted on your steering wheel to keep your hands where they should be while you drive. The basis of the system is a Windows CE device with 2GB flash memory and an SDHC card slot. Both this and the WeGo mini should see the light of day (so to speak) in Q4 2010 -- just as soon as Springteq can find a partner company to help bring it to market. Video after the break.
If this truly isn't vaporware, I'll be getting one in Q4.
@Rem DX
I wouldn't, because when I want to focus my eyes on the road, I really want a distraction in the middle of my field of vision. my gps always goes in the cup holder as a reference tool. HUD's need to be off to the side if at all.
@wack
Well that's you, an easily distracted driver. I'm not easily distracted and I want haters who can't get one to hate.
@wack Yes, there have been plenty of cars with HUDs that all display their information below and to the side of the central vision area (e.g., the original Nissan Altima GXEs) - I'm sure the auto manufacturers would just love to be sued for displaying something right in the central area and distracting someone to the point of an accident.
@Rem DX
So you are telling me that your eyes can focus on two independent points at one time?
@bleep
Why they hell would I focus on it? Do you not check the speedometer?
Do you not tune the radio? Do you not look anywhere but straight ahead when driving?
Why is it always all or nothing when trying to prove a dumb-ass point?
HUDs aren't new. This one is good because you can shave a couple of grand of a car purchase by avoiding the navigation feature and using this instead. And it looks good.
@Freakin Ijit I don't think you have used a HUD to say that.
HUDs do not require refocusing of your eyes and the information is always just there, unobtrusive, and available without having to look down at a recessed dash and then truly refocus.
Once you go HUD, you don't go back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c2p1yzxMP4 (this is the 13yr old design, not the new one)
I have no idea why they haven't caught on. The Corvette engineering team was the first to make a practical affordable automotive design (although actually developed for aircraft) which they implemented in the 1997 Corvette.
GM had such very stupid upper management, but you gotta give props to the Vette team who were the first to bring us affordable HUDs, balsa/aluminum sandwich floors for light weight, transverse polymer springs to reduce swaybar weight and lower the hoodline, new variable thickness light body design (so light it even flexes on the back if pushed by hand), and the best winning streak in GTR ever (winning just about every year from the C5R inception to the C6R). Hats off!!! :D
@Rem DX
My '04 Pontiac had a HUD with gps in the windshield. Honestly, I'd have trouble going back to a car without it. It's by far one of the most useful features I've ever had in a car.
Like someone commented on the youtube page (it wasn't me), "I'd like to see this work in sunlight."
@Center
I've driven a corvette with the HUD option, and it works just fine in bright sunlight. It was only projecting one color though, so maybe some colors show up better than others, but it does work.
HUD was also an option on the early 90s nissan 240sx as well. On that car, I could see what looked like a clear film (only noticeable from certain angles) that helped with the reflectivity of the glass.
@Center I have a decade of experience on my Vette, and the sun can only wash out the display at an extremely specific angle, I believe where the sun rays are actually getting down to the reflective mirror.
For safety, all front windshields have plastic in them so that they stay in one piece. They simply include a film inside that helps brighten the HUD, although it will work on regular glass as well.
If I actually had a use for a GPS, this would be the one I got.
Very uninformative video. Too bad being a cool idea. Corvettes used to project mph on the windshield not sure if they still do...
@Icedassault
Yup. As well as G-force. I think its even a standard feature at this point (not 100% sure about that though).
My Buick Park Avenue displays my speed as well. ^_^
I highly doubt ANY s2000 drivers would strap that thing onto their steering wheel. =P
Horribly photochop but interesting device.
Really nice, could consider this except for my personal vendetta against the WinCE.
Embedded systems really shouldn't be running on CE. It takes too much resources, it has limited functionality and it adds to the price.
Love this gps technology. So streamlined.
Will probably be a standard feature in 20 years...
Nothing like a crappy photoshop job to sell your product.
They better start patenting gesture interfaces to this before apple does.
Sounds to me like she's saying by Q4 they'll have an idea of the cost, not that they've fixed the crappy design of the prototype and brought it to market by then.
@wack not sure looking at your cup holder's better than looking at your windshield...
I goofed around with this kind of thing a while back for a college project. We just used an color LCD display, and there were a few things that stood out:
1. It is extremely dangerous at night! It causes your eyes to focus too near, so when you look from mirror to the windshield, it takes an extra moment to figure out what you are looking at.
2. It's almost worthless in the daytime. You get almost no reflection off the windshield. Maybe light compensation would help...
3. It works much better on a flat plexi screen (what we demo'd on for class) than a windshield... I suspect that's why it's being demo'd on flat plexi here too.
Our implementation was hacky at best.
It can't be so bad tho, since they use it in fighter jets and Cadillacs, that being said, it strikes me as a bad idea.
@someguy7234 fighter jet HUDs don't seem to be using the windshield either: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head-up_display
@someguy7234
1. That was your implementation
2. Obviously, you'd coat a windshield with something to help
3. Again, given how easy it is to change the reflective properties of a windshield, this is like arguing against paperbacks because everyone knows hardback books are capable of supporting the weight of more paper.
didn't the corvette once have this for the speedometer reference?
MeeGo WeGo WeAllGo!
I'll wait for the Retina Projector
I'm sorry but anything that gets in the way(literally in this case) while I'm driving I don't want. Why would I want something blocking my vision like that?
I mean, you should have inherent sense of how quickly are going and all other information is secondary to driving. Even this will distract you from looking ahead as you can only look at one thing at a time.anyways! Even in a manual you should know what gear you are in and if you need to shift up or down, by how the car is working.
I'm calling it as useless gadgetry.
@bleep
If it works for fighter pilots it'll work for me!
BMW, Audi and some other car makers have HUD as an option too because anything that keeps your eyes on the road and not on the dash is a good thing.
@JamesR
Eyes on the dash... eyes on the HUD. There's a difference? Can humans really look at two things at one time?
Corvettes have this like people have mentioned, but they use a different kind of windshield glass with a more reflective panel in that section. I found that out when a rock chipped the hell out of the windshield of my 2006 Corvette Z06 and I had to get it replaced. I wouldn't imagine that this device would be as effective as the one that uses a special windshield glass, but good enough and certainly a lot cheaper.
To the people who think HUD is dumb - you've obviously never driven with it. Try going fast and looking down to use your tachometer when you shift and then tell me it's dumb.
@navyasw02 Still works w/ regular glass, you just have to turn the brightness up. If this has sufficient brightness, should be fine I would think.
You would think it would be easy to just have a clear coating applied to the area it would shine on though, just like you apply tint to your side windows. *shrugs*