Contacts:  Marlene Goldsmith
(248) 372-8222
marlene_goldsmith@denso-diam.com

Julie Kerr
(248) 372-8260
julie_kerr@denso-diam.com



Head Up Displays

DENSO was among the first in the industry to start developing car navigation systems in the 1980s, and it hasn't stopped looking for new ways to deliver information to drivers since that time. 

One technology DENSO is working on combines a focus on information technology and safety: head up display (HUD). DENSO has been improving this technology since it launched the company's first HUD in 1991.

The HUD provides drivers with virtual images of information such as vehicle speed and navigation routes, in front of the windshield. DENSO anticipates that this will be next-generation technology for three reasons:

* HUD can shorten the driver's eye movement time. Instead of focusing on the instrument cluster, the driver focuses on the front of the vehicle.
* Reduces the distraction of driving information in the cockpit. Since all driving information is in line of sight at the front of the vehicle, it's easier for drivers to focus on the HUD.
* Reduces the need for driver to switch focus on information inside and outside the vehicle.

The concave mirror (see Fig. 1), which reflects light from the indicator toward the windshield, uses progressive focus points-DENSO-developed technology-to provide a high-quality image without distortion. The indicator emits light uniformly with high brightness toward the concave mirror, allowing drivers to see the virtual image, even in the daytime.

The next-generation of display technology for DENSO is a windshield display, which is a combination of HUD, sensing, and human machine interface technology. For the windshield display, DENSO developed a new optical system (see Fig. 2) that uses two projection displays for the left and right eyes, allowing position control of three-dimensional images. For example, the driver can see an arrow indicating navigation directions superimposed on the road ahead through the windshield.


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Fig. 1 Current HUD Structure


















Fig. 2 Windshield Display Optical System



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