Some Government Agencies and their Overdue Studies and Investigations (ever pressing and challenges are ever growing) As of 2016, No federal standards govern the use of Head Up Displays (HUD), and that concerns some safety advocates. A report being prepared to be submitted the United States National Safety and Traffic Administration (NHTSA), the top U.S. automobile safety agency. The agency said it had begun to research the issue and expected to issue guidelines. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have concerns as well.This is just a few examples within America. Other countries as well are formulating new studies, research, and laws in regard to Head Up Display (HUD) and Heads Up Screens (HUS). The auto industry once was responsible for 1 in 8 jobs in America. The amount of companies willing to put out a HUD product will only grow due to the fact that the automobile industry is a huge money maker. All nations must act now before it is too late where companies are so invested that they start to take short cuts, avoid proper criticisms, even cover up certain problems. A quote from the more high profile articles of the time - from a Sept 2015 New York Times article: “It’s like the Wild West out there in terms of what’s being put into cars, and we’re expressing caution because there are no standards,” said Deborah Hersman, president of the independent National Safety Council near Chicago and a former chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Some Current Players in the field of HUD There is most certainly too much data simultaneously viewed while driving. Drivers deal with one type of data at a time and seeing mutiple forms of data simultaneoulsy in their field of view is an obvious distraction. What the ...?? Really! Too much! Too many distractions!!! Automobile drivers are not fighter pilots with radar and automobiles are not flying through a open blue sky with the ability to move up and down as well as side to side. Automobile drivers have to discern CONSTANT INCOMING DISTRACTIONS here on planet earth. Once again, multiple information simultaneously is not normal to read for drivers especially when this information is in one's windshield/field of view. This data is yes most importantly dangerous to others! Driving should be first and foremost discerning the top information/distractions in one's field of view.! All this amount of information is obviously too much. How about some common sense - When one needs to know how fast they are going they look easily just under the steering wheel keeping their head straight. That is one decision/information need. That is a normal demand - one at a time. Multiple information simultaneously is not normal and dangerous to others! Driving should be first and foremost discerning the top information/distractions in one's field of view.! NOT self-centered pleasures of images of precious radio stations, etc... This Head Up Display (HUD) is out of control and needs to be regulated in proper ways. There is most certainly too much data simultaneously viewed while driving. Drivers deal with one type of data at a time and seeing mutiple forms of data simultaneoulsy in their field of view is an obvious distraction. When in the hell are people involved in this Wild West stage of HUD going to realize or own up to the facts that these HUD displays can also make a driver more lazy, that is creating a mindset where drivers rely on technology to do what he/she should be doing in the first place. And what if this technology stalls or breaks down or fails.! Fighter pilots where HUD originated have more time to react to incoming threats in the open sky. Drivers have nanoseconds. Adding multiple data to be read outside of watching the road in a peripheral way is ultimately going to retard the driver. We need sensors like side motion detector that blink lights in the side view mirrors because we do not have eyes on the sides of our heads. But most of this HUD in the windshield is not needed and a distraction form the driver's first and foremost duty - knowing what is in front of him/her. Drivers DO NOT need speedometers in their windshield, nor radio stations, nor navigation arrows where the navigation is already telling you where to turn! 99% of people's drives are known and altering safe Dashboard Tops for this one feature is insanity!! This lazy HUD nonsense is designed for the most part to sell. HUD should concentrate merely on collision controls and now most significantly the redesigning of their HUD crooked box unit so it's reflection is not a constant distraction in the windshield! There is most certainly too much data simultaneously viewed while driving. Drivers deal with one type of data at a time and seeing mutiple forms of data simultaneoulsy in their field of view is an obvious distraction. HUD cannot be a Dashboard Control Panel!!!. This is common sense. But the opportunistic race to sell various versions of HUD is causing too many lenient experiments with too much information in the windshield! Drivers only use and process one aspect of the Dashboard Control Panel at a time. Having multiple indicators constantly in a drivers's face is a obvious distraction and it is time regulatory agencies and law makers take serious action. Regulatory agencies cannot rely on car companies, auto part suppliers, not even the automotive media because they are all invested in HUD. Imagine if HUD had all the information I have just begun to talk about - huge issue with distractions and huge issues with making the driver dependent upon technology and thus making them lazier drivers who could cause accidents. For example, Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) are good in theory but will the driver go faster and concentrate on other things (i.e radio, etc) instead of concentrating on the basic duty sensing the upcoming stop lights and knowing when to stop. We cannot make drivers less aware of the road. There is most certainly too much data simultaneously viewed while driving. Drivers deal with one type of data at a time and seeing mutiple forms of data simultaneoulsy in their field of view is an obvious distraction. Collision Avoidance Systems (also known as precrash system, forward collision warning system, or collision mitigating system) are the HUD display I find to be totally worthwhile and worthy of more research. For example, a red warning light will appear when a driver appraoches a car too fast. Or if another car approaches the driver at an unsafe rate a red warning light will flash in the drivers view. The picture below shows a rudimentary kind of Collision Avoidance Systems. But once again, where is the crooked HUD box reflection on the windshield? This is more like a simple video game than the current functions and fuckups of HUD. I see some a future for Collision Avoidance Systems but they sensors should be at the nose of the car and not imbedded within the Dashboard Top where the HUD unit's reflection obstructs the driver's windshield view. The warning light does not even have to be in the driver's face but in the middle of the windshield. However many Driver-Assist Systems I believe can make the driver lazier. People have to be responsible drivers and the following can present problems. I like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) aka Autonomous Cruise Control (ACC). ACC is an optional cruise control system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. ACC, it confirms that the system detects a vehicle ahead by placing a halo of light just underneath it, which changes colors to indicate how close you are to the vehicle. The HUD also graphically shows the ACC gap setting (how close the driver chooses to be to a vehicle in front) by overlaying it on the road. I think Lane Departure Warning (LDW) to provide distinct visual alerts. I definitely think Blind Spot Monitors are great but they are loacted on the side view mirrors and not a issue for HUD. And then there is this being told where to drive via HUD? Knowing where to drive should be a no-brainer 99.99% of the time and anyone who needs this idiotic HUD feature should be tested again for a driver's license. This guided path feature actually inhibits a driver's ability to use their peripheral vision to sense incoming traffic threats from the sides. This feature is more offensive driving and not defensive driving. A rudimentary example of a HUD feature highlighting the path for a driver to drive in pictured below. I want to share a interesting common sense analogy about BMW's intermitant crooked box reflections in the driver's windshield view. I grew up practicing and competing in basketball and continue to to this day. A common no-brainer lesson all coaches will drill into one playing basketball is "get a hand in his face" when the opponent goes up for a shot. This phrase "get a hand in his face" is said knowing that the defender is not going to block the shot, but the common sense that any kind of incoming distraction can alter the basketball shooter's concentration/rhythm resulting in a missed shot. A driver with a intermitant reflection coming at them when they should see a constant clear view will be MORE likely to make mistakes. The driving experience is not smooth both consciously and unconsciously. Some Psychologists Studies (amazingly sparse/nonexistent to inevitably growing) Head Up Displays require specially treated windshields. Bulky optical equipment is needed to produce the image, and the optics box generates considerable heat. Suppliers are solving those problems gradually with each new generation of equipment. Some good intentions and the perils of unnecessary luxury. |