The technology needed to electrify and automate cars is gradually beginning to use the technologies that drive augmented reality. To attract attention and attract alternative forms of revenue, carmakers are considering potential uses of AR, now and in the future. The integrations that are coming to market today are, in fact, ready to be useful to drivers.
Augmented reality security features, which can help drivers navigate and detect potential threats on the road, are the first applications the automotive industry is facing and is already delivering value and providing a drive into the future of a driverless future.
A handful of software companies are competing in offering products for the growing sector and integrating their technologies with OEMs.
Basemark, a Finnish company specializing in automotive software, announced that its AR over-video application will now be available on some of the latest BMW iX models. Harman, a Samsung subsidiary specializing in connected automotive technology and other IoT solutions, has announced that it will take over Apostera, a company whose AR software will help Harman expand its automotive offering and provide an AR-as-a-product platform.
The integration of Basemark with BMW and the acquisition of Apostera by Harman not only signal some players in the industry who are gaining ground but also what use cases we can expect from augmented reality in vehicles.
Use AR on video channels for safer navigation
According to Basemark, drivers of some BMW i4 vehicles will experience augmented reality directly through the infotainment screen while using the BMW navigation system. The vehicle's front camera automatically sends live footage from the street in front of the car to a touch screen, where interactive arrows appear in the real world to show drivers when and where they need to turn or whether they should change lanes. The screen will be split so that a map is displayed next to the video.
Of course, there are other applications for this type of technology, such as heads-up displays (HUDs), which are displayed through the windshields, so drivers don't have to take their eyes off the road.
Apostera already has a HUD product in production with the Audi Q4 e-tron, which is reactive enough to precisely adhere to the real driver's environment. The AR windshield on the Audis displays important information such as driving speed, traffic signs, driver assistance system status and navigation symbols as static displays. Drivers will also be able to perceive floating symbols at a distance of about 30 feet, which will alert drivers to things such as lane departure warning or an active front-wheel drive in adaptive cruise control mode.
Basemark is working to use sensors that provide drivers with more information about their surroundings. At CES, the company unveiled its Object Detection AR prototype, which receives raw data from the camera and radar and merges sensors to help drivers increase safety in low visibility.
Basemark is currently conducting pilot tests with other OEMs, so we may see more in the future.
Extension of advanced driver assistance systems
Harman's software offering with integrated IP Apostera calculates information and visualizes it for drivers and passengers to know why the car may suddenly change lanes or try to avoid an obstacle. This helps to increase confidence and thus the use of already available ADAS systems in vehicles.
But it does not stay with visual stimuli. Harman's new ADAS unit is also working to add audible warnings to accompany visual object recognition. So this kind of immersive combination of augmented reality, mixed reality, image and sound is another evolutionary step.
While Harman says its AR platform is already in the market with some customers, it can constantly incorporate new features through wireless updates. The company claims that its product is resistant to hardware, operating system and sensors, so it is designed to reuse data coming from any vehicle network.
With in-car technology comes subscription offers
There are still few augmented reality cars, but the trend we are currently seeing with other automotive technologies is to monetize smart car offerings through subscriptions. At CES, Google and Amazon have introduced new in-car features that enhance the car's infotainment systems and even allow passengers to stream videos from YouTube or Amazon Prime, things that are likely to be available through monthly purchases.
In a world where pandemic supply chain problems are delaying new vehicle production and carmakers are spending more on electrification, it is easy to see how AR applications can be used to give carmakers a new path to higher profits.