Jan 18 2008

Follow the virtual line

Virtual Cable projection

With Virtual Cable, you use the red line projected on the windshield for route guidance.

(Credit: Making Virtual Solid)

A company with the unwieldy name of Making Virtual Solid has developed a new way for drivers to follow GPS directions, a virtual line projected onto a car's windshield. The technology, called Virtual Cable, uses existing heads-up-display components and standard GPS navigation systems, but would have to be factory-installed. From videos on the company's site, the system looks very usable, and a big improvement over current route guidance systems. The beauty of Virtual Cable is that it shows route guidance over real streets, as opposed to navigation screens, which show arrows on a map that the driver then has to mentally translate to the view out the windshield. Making Virtual Solid hasn't announced any deals with automakers or OEMs at this date, so it will be at least a few years before we see Virtual Cable projected onto the screen of any production cars.

(Source: Edmund's Straightline)

 

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 3 comments (Page 1 of 1)
wow, if this makes it into production
by fleurya January 18, 2008 11:55 AM PST
I feel bad for those companies who spent so much time mocking up 3D maps. But it would be great for me because I don't believe in using those dash GPS systems. Why is it that people are dead set against using cell phones while driving enough to make laws against it, but somehow staring at a computer screen in your dash while driving is just fine???
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Why not just an arrow?
by Kev50027 January 18, 2008 5:15 PM PST
If they can make a thin red line (which may be difficult to follow when there are lots of trees or things overhead) Why don't they just put bigger arrows similar to the ones on GPS devices now? Good idea, but could be better implementation.
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Good idea, more potential distractions...
by Imcooltrustme January 21, 2008 12:53 PM PST
GPS units are a much worse distraction than cell phones, this seems like a good idea, but I can see this being a large distraction too. I can see it now.... "I can't see it" "Only the driver can" "Oooh, now I can!" "Stop drooling on the steering wheel and get back in the backseat, its just a line"...
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