Jaguar Land Rover adopts Cambridge 'smart cabin' future
CAPE, the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics at the University of Cambridge, is working with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to develop the technology to deliver ‘Smart Cabin’ vision – a personalised space inside a vehicle with enhanced safety, entertainment and convenience features.
Researchers from CAPE’s premises on JJ Thompson Avenue are working with JLR to develop next-generation head-up display technology that could beam real-time safety information in front of the driver, and allow passengers to stream 3D movies directly from their seats as part of a shared – perhaps even autonomous – future platform.
“The CAPE iHUD project with JLR is aimed to integrate all different signals in-car with the applications going from the current use for 3D immersive experience to future autonomous vehicles,” Professor Daping Chu, director of the Centre for Photonic Devices and Sensors and director of the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics, told the Cambridge Independent. “We are working closely together for this purpose.
“This programme is at the forefront of development in the virtual reality space – we’re looking at concepts and components which will set the scene for the connected, shared and autonomous cars of the future.”
Valerian Meijering, human machine interface & head-up display researcher for Jaguar Land Rover, added: “Development in virtual and augmented reality is moving really quickly. This consortium takes some of the best technology available and helps us to develop applications suited to the automotive sector.”
CAPE’s mission – to deliver technology through science – is being delivered by engineers working on a powerful new 3D head-up display to project safety alerts, such as lane departure, hazard detection, sat-nav directions, and to reduce the effect of poor visibility in poor weather or poor light conditions. Augmented reality would add the perception of depth to the image by mapping the messages directly onto the road ahead.
Studies conducted in Germany show that the use of stereoscopic 3D displays in an automotive setting can improve reaction times on ‘popping-out’ instructions and increase depth judgments while driving.
In the future, the innovative technology could be used by passengers to watch 3D movies. Head- and eye-tracking technology would follow the user’s position to ensure they can see 3D pictures without the need for individual screens or shutter glasses worn at the cinema.
In a fully autonomous future, the 3D displays would offer users a personalised experience and allow ride-sharers to independently select their own content. Several passengers sharing a journey would be able to enjoy their own choice of media – including journey details, points of interest or movies – optimised for where they are sitting.
The research – undertaken in partnership with CAPE – is focused on developing an immersive head-up display, which will closely match real-life experience, allowing drivers to react more naturally to hazards and prompts.
“This programme is at the forefront of development in the virtual reality space,” concluded Prof Chu. “We’re looking at concepts and components which will set the scene for the connected, shared and autonomous cars of the future. CAPE Partners are world-leading players strategically positioned in the value chain network. Their engagement provides a unique opportunity to make a greater impact on society and further enhance the business value of our enterprises.”
