Holographic Technology in Cars? Say What?
Bentley showing us what their future cars will be like
Image source: https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/7/11387554/bentley-hologram-butler-future-luxury
Yup, you heard that right. You have probably watched many films that uses the holography technology and wonder if it is for real. The technology alone has been around for many years and was introduced in 1971 by Physicist, Dennis Gabor. Okay, so, which car exactly that uses the holography technology to run the control panel? It is the Lykan Hypersport Supercar. The car uses interactive holographs on the display system and is the first in the auto industry. Topping it off, the LED headlights are encrusted with diamonds. However, this may be old news to some of you motor-heads!
Here is a snippet of how the Lykan Hypersport hologram display is like:
Jumping on the bandwagon would be BMW. When something extraordinary is built, competitors are always on the rise. They call it the “HoloActive” Touch Interior Concept. However, BMW is also moving this technology one step further; that image of the holographic will appear as a free-floating form within the interior rather than a projection on the windscreen. However, BMW is not the only one to be on this technology. The Lexus UX Concept car includes a transparent globe that floats in the middle of the instrument binnacle. The center console houses a multifaceted crystal-like structure with hologram inside. That’s not all, the car also features an electro-chromatic glass that can be tinted instantly!
Image source: https://www.geekwire.com
Most of these cars are displayed at the CES (The International Consumer Electronics Show). While many car-makers are currently focusing on new technologies; especially with the hologram, Ford will be dragging out “Alexa”. This technology enables passengers to ask “Alexa” in performing tasks, for example, looking for locations, requesting for snack stops, weather forecast, music, and the list goes on. Bentley on the other hand, are aiming to create a holographic Butler that would appear in the car to assist you. This may however, will take a few years before the real car is being presented.
This photo provided by the Dan Smalley Lab at Brigham Young University in January 2018 shows a projected image of researcher Erich Nygaard in Provo, Utah.
Image source: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-holograms-d-thin-air.html
The automotive world is rather fast-paced especially when it comes to latest technologies. If we have always wondered if there is something better than hologram itself, lo and behold, there is. According to phys.org, scientists have figured out how to manipulate nearly unseen specks in the air and use them to create 3-D images that are more realistic and clearer than holograms. According to Curtis Broadbent of University of Rochester, he said, “You can have a circle of people stand around it and each person would be able to see it from their own perspective, and that is not possible with a hologram”. So while we sit back and enjoy of what’s coming to us, we are also always on the lookout for something new. That being said, the automotive industry is ever-changing.