Apr 10, 2008

3-D on Your Dash?

The 3-D dashboard on a show car from Daihatsu has prompted so strong a reaction from consumers that its maker (Provision Interactive Technologies, a subsidiary of Provision Holding) has filed for a patent on the technology. Last year the company partnered with Daihatsu, a Toyota-owned company that once sold cars here in America, to implement a 3-D holographic dashboard in Daihatsu's latest concept car. The car's debut at the 40th Annual Tokyo Motor Show, which made it the only vehicle at the show to utilize 3-D holographic technology, drew such an overwhelming response among attendees that Provision has filed for a new patent for this new product line, currently called HLXX.

HLXX, a specially redesigned version of its HoloVision product, is a combination of both a 2-D flat screen and a 3-D holographic screen that serves as the car's in-dash display. The traditional 2-D flat screen acts as a traditional dashboard, displaying gauges such as the speedometer and tachometer. The 3-D holographic screen presents warnings and vehicle information as easy-to-understand 3-D images to facilitate driver awareness and recognition. These features will be integrated as part of Daihatsu's OPCS (Omni-directional Pre-Crash Safety Support System) to create the next generation of digital dashboards. After further design and testing, Daihatsu plans to make the technology available in vehicles by 2012.