TECHNOLOGY
Volvo invests in augmented reality windscreen tech
Swedish vehicle firm has invested in Israeli start-up Spectralics, which specialises in optical and imaging technology
Volvo Cars is working on a panoramic head-up display for car windscreens to provide an unprecedented augmented reality (AR) experience.
A more advanced version of the head-up displays already available in some cars, the technology is at an early stage of development but could contribute to making cars safer and “revolutionise the in-car user experience”, says Volvo.
The Swedish vehicle firm has invested in the optical and imaging technology start-up Spectralics through the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, the company’s venture capital investment arm. With a background in aerospace technology development, Israel-based Spectralics has created a multilayered thin combiner (MLTC), a new type of thin optics film that can be applied to a car’s windshield or windows and overlay imagery on the glass.
It could create a wide head-up display with virtual objects superimposed onto the real-world environment for a safe and immersive experience.
Launched in 2018, the Volvo Cars Tech Fund invests in high-potential technology start-ups. It focuses on strategic technology trends transforming the auto industry, such as artificial intelligence, electrification and autonomous driving.