Land Rover uses augmented reality to ‘see-through’ its cars

The ‘Command driving position’ provides Land Rover drivers with an elevated view of the terrain ahead and a supreme sense of confidence, but there’s a blind spot ‘underneath’ the car which until now has been hidden from view.

Land Rover’s Discovery Vision Concept car solves this issue combining virtual imaging with its head-up display to deliver an augmented reality view of the terrain ahead.

On display at this month’s New York International Motor Show, the technology uses a series of cameras located in the vehicle’s grille to ‘see-through’ the bonnet, making the front of the car ‘virtually’ invisible from inside the cabin.

The technology enables a driver climbing a steep incline or manoeuvring in a confined space to see not only the terrain in front of the car but also the angle and position of the front wheels.

“As our vehicles become more capable and autonomous off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to allow the car to continue to progress, over any terrain”, said Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover.

“We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Bonnet to give drivers an augmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of an urban car park.”

The Discovery Vision Concept car will reveal Land Rover’s design vision for the next generation Discovery, which will represent a new ‘family’ of premium leisure SUVs incorporating today’s Discovery and Freelander.

Land Rover released the first teaser image earlier this week and will continue engaging with fans on Twitter using the #ReadyToDiscover hashtag.