Hyundai augments reality at CES

Augmented reality head-up displays, interlinked wearable smart devices, hand gesture controls and advanced smartphone/tablet apps were all part of Hyundai's showcase at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The CES is becoming increasingly important to car makers as passenger vehicles continue to push the technology envelope, and for Hyundai in 2015 the technology centrepiece was an 'augmented reality' head-up display system, or HUD.

While current HUD systems will inform drivers of road and engine speed, and sometimes rudimentary navigation directions, Hyundai is pushing the envelope to deliver a system that projects detailed, animated information onto the entire windscreen, even tracking the path of other vehicles that may pose a risk of collision.

Hyundai says the new system is production-ready and can also more accurately integrate navigation guidance while also warning drivers of cars about to unexpectedly enter their lane. It is also planning to integrate its driver assistance systems with a smart watch/band that will vibrate to warn drivers if they leave their lane.

The system also features a heart-rate monitor, and can automatically notify the emergency services if it detects critical changes in drivers' pulse rates.

Another cool new technology that Hyundai is exploring is hand-gesture recognition. After toying with the idea in 2013, which also included eye-tracking technology, the company appears to have settled purely on hand-gestures to control everything from navigation to audio and climate control changes.

"Hand-gesture recognition is accomplished with advanced infrared and camera sensors," says Hyundai, noting that it allows drivers to keep their eyes "safely on the road" while fiddling with the car's on board systems.

Other systems the Korean car maker is showing at CES include several advanced driver assistance systems which have a "high probability of being production ready in the near future", it says. It is showcasing remote auto parking, traffic signal information, speed suggestion, school zone info, weather and even vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-pedestrian connectivity.

More advanced versions of autonomous emergency braking are also in the offing as well as an intersection assist system along with the usual suspects such as advanced cruise control, lane guidance control.

Autonomous driving is also being explored, with vehicles able to "automatically control lateral movements" when Hyundai vehicles are driving on very narrow paths.

Finally, Hyundai is also making a pitch to family buyers, with plans to develop an advanced rear seat monitoring system that syncs with a tablet to allow the front passenger to control and observe what rear seat passengers are doing.

Most the technologies will debut on high-end Hyundai vehicles such as the Equus and Genesis models and will eventually filter down to lesser models. Hyundai Australia is already planning to offer its new 'Display Audio' infotainment system on some vehicles this year, also revealed at CES, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

What are your thoughts on technology integration in cars – is it a good thing, or just a distraction? Have your say in the comments section below.