“Transparent Bonnets” New Technologies From 2014 New York Auto Show
Typical ugrades to automobile hoods include accessories, accents and trims but what Land Rover had up its sleeve, prior to the New York Auto Show, may never have been on anyone’s radar: a transparent car hood.
Making things transparent or invisible has been the purview of sorcerers and magicians until now. A new technology called the “Transparent Bonnet” uses cameras mounted on the underside of a car to transmit a view of the road, normally hidden by the car’s hood, to projectors on the inside of the vehicle. It is just one of a number of new technologies from Land Rover Discovery Vision (LRDV).
The “Transparent Bonnet” provides a full width display along the bottom portion of a car’s windshield making the hood appear semi transparent and revealing the terrain or objects beneath the car. The technology could be used for more easily driving over rocky terrain, climbing inclines when tthe road ahead is completely obscured, and difficult parking situations. The technology could also be used to help autonomous driving systems to avoid accidents.
Other new technologies from LRDV include a display showing the angle of a car climbing, the degree of side to side tilt, steering wheel angle, suspension levels and ground contour and others.
