Advancements in Automotive HUD Technology: A Glimpse into the Future
Automotive advanced configurations emerge endlessly, bringing scenes reminiscent of science fiction films into reality.
HUD technology has gained widespread recognition among numerous users.
Netizens express, "HUD has always been something I consider 'indispensable.' Over the past three or four years, as HUD becomes more prevalent, we've witnessed only one remaining aspect: navigation information. When we reach the point where there's no need to glance down at instruments or the center console anymore, we'll witness new changes in interior design."
HUD utilizes the vast windshield of automobiles as a screen, projecting virtual images onto the windshield to reduce the frequency of drivers shifting their gaze, thereby decreasing fatigue and distraction. With the development of ADAS and AR technologies, AR HUD can achieve lane-level navigation, integrate real-world scenes with ADAS information, timely forecast road conditions and pedestrian information, thus enhancing the driving experience.
However, achieving widespread adoption of HUD will still require some time.
Today, I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Liu He, Deputy General Manager of Lilon Zhongbao Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. His company focuses on intelligent automotive HUD products. Let's follow his footsteps to learn more about HUD.
The "Rapid Growth" of HUD
From the perspective of development trends, it is expected that in the coming years, entry-level car models will gradually adopt WHUD as a standard configuration. Meanwhile, as the cost of AR-HUD gradually decreases, its adoption rate is expected to continue to increase.
Currently, mainstream HUD technologies include TFT, DLP, and Lcos. Considering the changing global economic environment and the cost pressures facing the entire automotive manufacturing industry, the TFT solution is expected to continue to dominate. DLP and Lcos will be applied to high-end car models and occupy a certain market share.
Data indicates that from early 2023 to September, the cumulative number of vehicles equipped with standard HUD reached 1.429 million units.
It is predicted that in the full year of 2023, the adoption rate of HUD in vehicles will exceed 10%. Based on the analysis of overall industry demand, the market's acceptance and demand for HUD show a significant upward trend. Data indicates that the market widely accepts HUD, and users are willing to pay for this feature. It is speculated that within the next five years, the market adoption rate of HUD is expected to exceed 50%.
Facing a vast and promising market outlook, Lilon Zhongbao Company has long outlined clear development blueprints and strategic goals. In the field of DLP AR-HUD, the company has achieved mass production of multiple products, leading in the domestic market with the mass production scale of DLP solutions. Moreover, it will gradually introduce TFT/LCoS technology AR-HUD products to meet diverse market demands.
Overcoming HUD Technological Limitations
At present, due to the insufficient accuracy and timeliness of ADAS and DMS data, the effect of AR-HUD in real scene integration has not been perfectly presented, affecting the willingness of high-end users to install it. This will be one of the bottlenecks for the penetration of HUD installation.
On the other hand, the current mainstream secondary optical design methods require a large installation space for large-format AR HUDs. However, many existing vehicle models have limited space, making it difficult to meet this requirement, which limits the widespread adoption of HUD.
To address the technical challenges of HUD adoption mentioned above, key industry player Lilon Zhongbao has proposed solutions. Lilon Zhongbao has developed a series of high, medium, and low-end products in the HUD product line, allowing rapid customization according to customer needs.
They have independently developed prototypes of high-resolution, large-format LCOS, DLP5530, TFT4.1AR-HUD products, as well as high-definition, small-size WHUD, and mini ARHUD product prototypes, which can be developed corresponding to customer functional configurations at any time.
Lilon Zhongbao already has mature product solutions and production guarantee capabilities for high, medium, and low-end AR/W HUD product lines. They firmly believe that HUD is a product that significantly improves customer driving safety and vehicle experience. They will provide full-stack development, professional project management, and perfect product supply guarantee to enable the general public to enjoy the technology, safety, and convenience brought by HUD.
Mr. Liu emphasized, "Under the premise of adhering to the domestic production substitution strategy, Lilon Zhongbao has successfully built a cost-effective WHUD and AR HUD product platform. By optimizing cost structures and utilizing domestic resources, we meet customer needs at more attractive price points."
The Future of HUD: What Lies Ahead
In the era of Automated Driving 2.0+, HUD primarily serves to display timely information during driving on the windshield, reducing the risk of drivers looking down blindly. These pieces of information include speed, navigation, warning messages, etc., which are crucial for drivers.
When conditional automated driving becomes possible, entering the era of Automated Driving 3.0, HUD's role will no longer be limited to information presentation but will embody more interactive functions (such as POI, entertainment information, etc.). This demands larger display sizes and higher resolution clarity for HUD.
Therefore, new optical imaging technologies with small size and large format will be the future trend.
Lilon Zhongbao has foreseen this trend and made forward-looking layouts in product development.
For the future, Mr. Liu is confident. He said, "Lilon Zhongbao will launch HUD system designs with high ground sensitivity, multi-mode interaction, and small size through accumulated expertise in optical and algorithm technologies, meeting customer expectations in AR effects and costs."
Conclusion
We have entered the era of smart cars, where control modes are shifting from physical to multi-mode interaction, and visual experiences are gradually evolving from traditional screens to holographic projection (HUD). Safety, convenience, and other indicators are all striving to improve user experience. Will cars really be able to fly in the near future?
Talk is cheap, action is needed.
With our conversation concluded, let us eagerly await the new generation of HUD products that Lilon Zhongbao will bring us this year.
Expect surprises and embrace the future.