Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has revealed a new technology concept that will reduce blind spots in the roof pillars of its vehicles. According to a company statement, the "360 Virtual Urban Windscreen" sees the installation of screens in the roof pillars of the car, which show video feeds from cameras installed on the A-, B- and C-pillars offering the driver a 360-degree view outside the car. The system would be activated by turning on indicators, driver head movement or reaching a junction. The company said that this would enable pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles to be visible all around the car. It also said that combined with a head up display (HUD) system, road users could also be highlighted to ease driver identification. A connection to the Cloud could also allow the system to offer information of the world around them, including prices at fuel stations and the number of spaces available at a car park. The company has also said that it is also developing a "Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation" system offering drivers a computer-generated vehicle image to support the directions given by the satellite navigation.
Significance: The automaker has once again shown evidence that is keen to be seen as a leader in new technologies with this announcement. This system would significantly help drivers' vision around the car, which can be hampered by both the design of the car as well as the requirement for thick roof pillars for passenger safety. However, while HUD systems can be a useful safety addition, allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road while at the same time gaining key information, it could be that JLR may overwhelm average drivers with the levels of information it thinks it will be able to offer. This level of information may only become viable once greater automation is brought in to the driving process, which the company is also developing.
