Texas Instruments aims to make car HUDs bigger and brighter

From CNET: If you get into a new Lincoln Continental or Navigator, its optional head-up display (HUD) may surprise you with its brightness, clarity and visibility through polarized glasses. Those qualities come courtesy of a fundamentally different technology than used by other automakers. Instead of an LCD image reflected onto the windshield, Lincoln uses a Digital Light Processing chip (DLP) from Texas Instruments, which actively projects its imagery to the windshield.

A new generation of Texas Instrument's DLP chip promises to make this new HUD technology even better, making graphics appear further out in front of the car and even "painting" the road with useful information.

HUDs have gained traction in among cars in recent years. The technology can be found in everything from the most luxurious Lexus LS to the little Mini Cooper. Typically, HUDs show useful information, such as vehicle speed, at the lower edge of a car's windshield. The translucent imagery doesn't interfere with the driver's view of the road, and makes it unnecessary to look down at the instrument cluster for much of the time.

The latest HUDs show color graphics, with imagery appearing to hang in space out in front of the car.

According to Jeff Dickhart, Texas Instruments' general manager of DLP automotive products, "Some automakers are looking to turn head-up displays into the primary driving display," meaning HUDs could take the place of the traditional instrument cluster.

View: Article @ Source Site