Car Navigation & GPS Systems with Head-Up Display

Car Navigation GPS Systems with Head Up Display

The biggest drawback of most car navigation systems is that you have to take your eyes off the road to check the directions. Yes, you can get a car GPS that reads instructions aloud, but sometimes there is no substitute for being able to see your directions and which lane you need to change into. One advance in car navigation gets around that by projecting the information into your field of vision so it's all there on the windshield on a head up display.

Some manufacturers have already started building head up displays into some of their vehicles. It reduces driver fatigue and also the chance of accidents. If you take two seconds to check your speed or navigation at 100 km/h, you travel 55 metres with your eyes off the road. Check your dashboard 18 times, and you've traveled more than a kilometre completely blind. Head up displays eliminate this issue. Luckily, you don't have to wait for your next car to include one, as third party systems are becoming more and more common.

There are two basic types of automotive mountable systems with head up displays. While both put an image in front of your eyes without blocking the windscreen, they work slightly differently. Some, like Garmin use a transparent film that you apply to the windscreen to catch the reflections, while others use a reflective mirror. A few replace the reflective screen with a transparent screen that fits on top of the unit on your dashboard.

Some navigation head up displays are standalone units that take the navigation data from your mobile phone through a third party app. While often less expensive than full featured models, they are also often more finicky to set up. The display on an automotive mountable GPS and navigation system is usually easier to use, as the navigation and display systems are already integrated.

As with anything else, picking your own head up display navigation system requires knowing your own needs first. In many cases, the best head up system is the one that works with the navigation system you already use. That way you're only learning one new thing at a time.