Navdy Heads-Up Display Projects Screen on Car Dashboard
On Tuesday, Navdy announced that it is now taking pre-orders for a heads-up display (HUD) that sits on a car dashboard and is powered by the on-board computer available in all cars since 1996. This gadget, costing $299 now as an introductory offer, projects a transparent image directly within your field of view, making glances down at your smartphone while driving a thing of the past.
"Smartphones were never designed to be used while driving," said Navdy co-founder and CEO Doug Simpson. "Touchscreen-based apps force you to take your eyes off the road. So we started by completely rethinking what the experience of using apps behind the wheel should be like. Navdy is built from the ground up to be the safest and most intuitive way to make calls, use navigation, listen to music or access notifications without ever looking away from the road."
According to the specifications, the Navdy device includes a 5.1-inch transparent HUD and a high-quality projector. It also includes an IR camera for touchless gesture control, Wireless N and Bluetooth LE 4.0 connectivity, and a dual-core SoC powering Android 4.4 "KitKat." Audio output can be provided via Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm minijack.
The specifications also show that the Navdy HUD includes an accelerometer, an e-compass and an ambient light sensor. There is also an internal speaker, a microphone with noise-canceling DSP, and an OBD-II power and data connector for tapping into the car's computer. The base is a bendable, portable, non-marking powered friction mount, which magnetically connects to the device.
When in use, the HUD will project an image that appears to be six feet in front of the driver, which comes in handy when traveling through Los Angeles for the first time and experiencing the chaos that is called "traffic congestion." According to the company, this is the same technology that airplane pilots use to keep their eyes on the runway when landing a plane.
"You never need to look away from the road while using Navdy," the press release said on Tuesday. "Glance-able apps are controlled with intuitive touch-less hand gestures, while voice recognition lets you ask for directions. Navdy's noise cancellation technology and wide angle gesture sensors are specifically designed to create an optimal driving experience."
Navdy works with navigation apps like Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation. Navdy can also be an entertainment hub, compatible with popular apps such as Spotify, Pandora, iTunes Music and Google Play Music. Navdy can even read aloud so you're not driving and scrolling through the latest text received on the phone while driving. Despite its Android roots, this device is compatible with iOS 7.0 and later as well as Android 4.3 and later.
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Our pals at Tom's Guide have a hands-on demo with the Navdy, which you can check out right here. The company is offering a payment scheme in that when customers purchase Navdy, and a referral (friend, family, co-worker, etc.) purchases a Navdy too, the customer gets $30 back. That means that eventually, the Navdy could be free with enough referrals.
For more information about Navdy, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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ohim Yey another thing to worry about so thieves won`t break your car window to steal it .. at least in my country that is :DReply -
f-14 $300 for 1970's video game technology. no thanks i'll just buy an old arcade machine, rip the magnifier out of it and use a smart phone/gps as the main screen and have a large 20"+ HUD.Reply -
f-14 $300 for 1970's video game technology. no thanks i'll just buy an old arcade machine, rip the magnifier out of it and use a smart phone/gps as the main screen and have a large 20"+ HUD.Reply -
universal remonster Apparently these guys have never heard of HUDway that uses your smartphone for the exact same effect. It's been out for a long time and works in any car/truck. Way to rip off the idea and charge for it while adding extra unnecessary equipment.Reply
http://youtu.be/o_zy3OynWzQ
And even cooler yet, you can create your own offroad routes. Important for all of us rally racing fans :)
http://youtu.be/Lfra951yluw -
ethanolson I had a HUD on a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville. It was awesome. I've wished for a HUD ever since.Reply -
Don_M_Weaver_II This HUD type display units are all fine and dandy eye candy. Sure it has some function but how much display do we really need. It is not so much the driving and texting hazards as these inputs with these type devices could and should only be performed while jammed up in traffic stationary or crawling along snail like stop and stop, which BTW we all do every day for 15-30 minutes each per day during our commutes. But it is the redundancy of these things with this type HUD devices. Why do we need 2 speedometers? And who the heck cares. We don't really need to check on our speeds every second while driving or tachometer or radio station or fuel reserves. And who really needs the directional, or radio station info all the time anyhow even if we did want to know this stuff? Who really wants to meet Adam for coffee as in the picture above or needs to have this info displayed like it is important or something. Most time the coffee appointments and such I would think would be taken care of elsewhere. Not important in any case really. This HUD HOOPLA is not productive to us really. Useful possibly, but not productive, it is eye candy in a nutshell. There are other way more productive heads up type options and devices available. ?Reply