AR turns entire car windscreen into heads up display
Spotted: Designed by Beijing-based human-machine interface experts, Futurus, the augmented reality windscreen works for both drivers and passengers. The screen highlights potential hazards, and navigation assistance is continuous. Drivers no longer have to glance away from the road to check another device for directions.
Most current heads up displays (HUDs) work on a portion of the screen. Making the entire front window of a vehicle an augmented reality device has many implications, including increased ease of use and improved safety. Critics’ concerns, however, focus on what happens should the device malfunction. Would the entire screen go blank? And the flip side of having possible dangers digitally highlighted is that some may not be recognised by the system.
Futurus says that the new technology also allows passengers to watch on-screen entertainment without hindering the driver’s ability to see out of the window. The design, and more information on how it works, will be unveiled at January 2020’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
We spotted a similar innovation last year: France-based EyeLights created a portable device that converts car windshields into a hologram that displays phone functions and apps, like navigators.
How Automotive Glass Works
" " Automotive glass is specially treated to protect vehicle passengers from the elements. mrs/moment/Getty Images
When car companies run ads on television touting their vehicle's new safety features, they rarely mention the car's windshield or the surrounding windows, but the glass surrounding you in those vehicles has been designed and manufactured with your safety in mind. Although automotive glass looks the same as any other type of glass, it functions very differently.
In most homes, the windows in each room are made from a standard type of glass that will shatter into large shards when it breaks. With the exception of a sliding glass door or front door, these home windows don't receive the same amount of strain that an automotive window does. A car, on the other hand, will encounter many potholes, rocks and fender benders in its lifetime. Because of this, automotive glass is manufactured into two different types of safety glass to protect both the structure of the vehicle and the occupants inside. The first type of glass is called laminated glass, which is for the windshield. The second type of glass is known as tempered glass, which is used for the vehicle's side and back windows.
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Later on, we'll learn how glass makers insert a thin layer of film between two layers of glass and fuse them together through heat and pressure to make laminated glass. We'll also take a look at how tempered glass gains its strength through a process of heating and rapid cooling. Without these different styles of manufacturing and strengthening, automotive glass would be little more than a simple barrier between us and the elements outside.
Laminated and tempered glass each have different functions, but together, they keep you inside the vehicle in an accident, shield you from flying sharp glass, retain the roof's rigidity in a rollover and allow the side air bag to protect you when it's deployed.
New Windshield Care – Car Window Replacement in Chicago
When you have a new windshield installed, you want it to last as long as possible. Here are a few care and maintenance tips that will help you preserve your new windshield for years to come.
1. Give the Adhesive Time to Set
When windshields are replaced, drivers should wait at least an hour before driving their vehicle. That hour gives the urethane adhesive time to set and harden. If you drive before that hour is up, the windshield may not become firmly attached to the vehicle’s frame. Allowing the adhesive to dry provides a good, strong seal.
2. Don’t Remove the Adhesive Tape
Be sure to leave the adhesive tape in place for at least 24–48 hours after windshield installation. Leaving the tape on the glass ensures that the seal is in place and protected until the adhesive dries.
3. Drive Gently
When first installed, new windshields are very sensitive to vibration. So, for a few days after you’ve gotten your new windshield, be careful where you drive. Try to stay on smooth, paved roads and be careful when driving over speed bumps or potholes. Also, try to avoid dirt or gravel roads.
It’s also important to gently close your vehicle’s doors for at least 48 hours after the windshield’s installation. Slamming the vehicle’s doors may puncture the seal.
4. Don’t Use Your Sunshade
Avoid using your sunshade for at least 48 hours after installation. You don’t want anything to push against the windshield and touch the drying urethane during that period.
5. Avoid High-pressure Car Washes
Don’t put your vehicle through a high-pressure car wash for at least 48–72 hours after installation. Water pressure against the glass can displace the moldings. Be sure to give your windshield, adhesive, and moldings the necessary time to set and dry. If you feel it’s absolutely necessary, you may gently wash your vehicle by hand during this period.
6. Keep Windows Opened Slightly
Summer heat can increase interior air pressure and threaten the integrity of the glass. You can equalize the air pressure by leaving a ¼ inch gap in your windows. Even small gaps provide ventilation and help keep the interior of your vehicle cooler.
Chicago, Il Specialists in Auto Window Repair and Replacement
New windshields can be a little fragile in the first couple of days after installation. However, they can greatly improve the appearance of your vehicle and give it a new lease on life.
At Frank’s Auto Glass we provide a variety of glass repair and replacement services. These include window tinting and mobile windshield repair in the Chicago area. If you have windshield problems, visit us at Frank’s Auto Glass for windshield repair or replacement and great customer service. In no time at all, we’ll have your windshield in like-new condition.