Ford has released a short clip from initial tests of its high-resolution headlights that are able to project warnings, directions and speed limits onto the road ahead.
Ford says the new headlight technology is aimed at combatting the number of people ‘driving blind’ for even a few seconds where they might miss a crucial bend in the road, or a change in surface conditions.
In a nutshell, it looks as though Ford’s headlight technology blends the augmented reality features showcased in the latest Mercedes-Benz models like the EQS that project images, navigation information and warnings onto the road via the headlights, rather than a head-up display.
The video shows the headlights projecting a turning radius inside a car park, information taken from the navigation system and projected onto the road about a hairpin turn, speed limits and a warning for icy road surfaces.
The company also says that these high-resolution headlights could project crosswalk information for the driver and pedestrians, give the driver a path to safely pass a cyclist or show the car’s width in a car park. Lars Junker, features and software, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, of Ford of Europe, said:
“What started as playing around with a projector light and a blank wall could take lighting technologies to a whole new level. There’s the potential now to do so much more than simply illuminate the road ahead, to help reduce the stress involved in driving at night… The driver could get essential information without ever needing to take their eyes off the road.”
