It’s 2015 and each and every single auto manufacturer is embroiled in a technology race. With each new model or refresh, new technologies emerge, focused on anything from safety to entertainment. It’s no secret that beyond the powertrain and styling of a vehicle, the in-vehicle technology, multimedia and entertainment options heavily influence car buying decisions.
Mini, marketed towards fun-loving technology-savvy urban dwellers has just revealed their ‘Augmented Vision’ concept at the Shanghai Motor Show. As you can see from the photo above, the new augmented vision system requires the driver to don a pair of large, thick-rimmed, aviator style goggles. The tradeoff is you get a heads-up display with all the usual required information such as vehicle speed, directions, fuel, navigation arrows superimposed on the road in front of you, parking assist and available parking spaces near your programmed destination. And of course, smartphone connectivity, but the real star of the show here is every fanboy and fangirl’s fantasy – X-ray vision!
No, not the type of x-ray vision that you dreamed of having during your early teen years. It’s even better than that as a driver. The x-ray view allows the driver to look through the car’s doors, pillars, and other bits of the car that obstruct your field of vision for maximum visibility.
This type of technology would fit perfectly with the Minis featured in the upcoming sci-fi Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage ‘Pixels’ movie, featuring an alien invasion in the form of ’80s arcade characters.
No word on when this new technology will be available to the public. Whether you’re a fan of this goggle technology or not, it’s a great example of the type of gadget-wizardry we can expect in the next few years. Check out the video and photos and let us know what you think.
