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HUD Confirmed!! Not joking.

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Elon Musk on Twitter

Augmented Mode! :)

"Definitely. Will also have Augmented Mode that will massively enhance human driving ability. Like a flying metal suit, but in car form …"

Call it Tesla Vision and hire Paul Bettany:

"No one dislikes your driving"
"For the Greater Good, I cannot allow this playlist to continue"
"Complacency invites catastrophe"
 
"Augmented Mode" could be a reference to Augmented Reality and the reference to Iron Man made me think of the Augmented Reality HUD that it has. That's how I took it.
To me, that's the cosmetic interpretation. I'm thinking more along the lines of a functional interpretation, given that Elon is framing it as 'massively enhancing human driving ability.'

To add context to my original post, I'm looking at this from an aircraft design standpoint (which would also fit within the Iron Man reference). How do you enhance the maneuverability of an aircraft? You make the design aerodynamically unstable. When taken to an extreme, you end up with an aircraft that's basically impossible for even the most skilled human to fly. The solution? You 'augment' human ability through the use of software flight control laws. The system, through the processing of sensor input, maintains stable flight via constant tiny adjustments (40Hz+ in some cases) and all pilot inputs are fed through the system as, essentially, high level commands (e.g. roll right at rate X, where X would be defined by the amount of pressure applied to the flight stick). When input is received from the pilot, the flight control system calculates and executes all of the necessary control surface adjustments in order to complete the desired maneuver without departing controlled flight.

Now, take that concept and apply it to performance cars. We already have a little of this in the form of drift control modes, active stability control, and similar stuff, but it's pretty limited/primitive in comparison.
 
To me, that's the cosmetic interpretation. I'm thinking more along the lines of a functional interpretation, given that Elon is framing it as 'massively enhancing human driving ability.'

To add context to my original post, I'm looking at this from an aircraft design standpoint (which would also fit within the Iron Man reference). How do you enhance the maneuverability of an aircraft? You make the design aerodynamically unstable. When taken to an extreme, you end up with an aircraft that's basically impossible for even the most skilled human to fly. The solution? You 'augment' human ability through the use of software flight control laws. The system, through the processing of sensor input, maintains stable flight via constant tiny adjustments (40Hz+ in some cases) and all pilot inputs are fed through the system as, essentially, high level commands (e.g. roll right at rate X, where X would be defined by the amount of pressure applied to the flight stick). When input is received from the pilot, the flight control system calculates and executes all of the necessary control surface adjustments in order to complete the desired maneuver without departing controlled flight.

Now, take that concept and apply it to performance cars. We already have a little of this in the form of drift control modes, active stability control, and similar stuff, but it's pretty limited/primitive in comparison.

That's an interesting take. "massively enhancing human driving ability" could be interpreted in a lot of different ways though. I think a AR HUD could also fulfill that role too. For example, if the AR HUD let you see through fog or heavy rain by using the cameras and radar to overlay vehicles and lane markings on your windshield, I think that would definitely qualify as enhancing the human abilities. So I think a AR HUD would have a functional purpose, not just cosmetic.

I am just trying to imagine what types of controls it could be that the car would not already have. I mean cars today, especially Teslas, already have electronic controls for steering, acceleration and braking.
 
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I also don't see how this statement implies a HUD:-
"Will also have Augmented Mode that will massively enhance human driving ability. Like a flying metal suit, but in car form …"

"Augmented mode" to me implies some kind of vehicle dynamic control system, possibly linked to AP since Elon's comment was in response to someone asking whether or not the Roadster would have AP. Basically something that turns you into an instant driving god!
 
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To me, that's the cosmetic interpretation. I'm thinking more along the lines of a functional interpretation, given that Elon is framing it as 'massively enhancing human driving ability.'

To add context to my original post, I'm looking at this from an aircraft design standpoint (which would also fit within the Iron Man reference). How do you enhance the maneuverability of an aircraft? You make the design aerodynamically unstable. When taken to an extreme, you end up with an aircraft that's basically impossible for even the most skilled human to fly. The solution? You 'augment' human ability through the use of software flight control laws. The system, through the processing of sensor input, maintains stable flight via constant tiny adjustments (40Hz+ in some cases) and all pilot inputs are fed through the system as, essentially, high level commands (e.g. roll right at rate X, where X would be defined by the amount of pressure applied to the flight stick). When input is received from the pilot, the flight control system calculates and executes all of the necessary control surface adjustments in order to complete the desired maneuver without departing controlled flight.

Now, take that concept and apply it to performance cars. We already have a little of this in the form of drift control modes, active stability control, and similar stuff, but it's pretty limited/primitive in comparison.
Tidbit that I forgot to add that's relevant to the idea of applying these sorts of systems to cars: the flight control systems can overrule pilot input if the system deems the input catastrophically stupid and they can contextually restrict maneuvering capabilities (like during landing, for example).
 
Tidbit that I forgot to add that's relevant to the idea of applying these sorts of systems to cars: the flight control systems can overrule pilot input if the system deems the input catastrophically stupid and they can contextually restrict maneuvering capabilities (like during landing, for example).

Not allowing you to hit stationary firetrucks and police cars would be a good start, lol
 
Not allowing you to hit stationary firetrucks and police cars would be a good start, lol
It's funny you bring that up because that kind of situational awareness and obstacle avoidance is outside the realm of the flight control systems I've been talking about. Aircraft have only just recently started seeing automated systems for avoiding collisions with the largest, most consistent obstacle they face: the ground. Here's a quick article about Auto-GCAS: Auto-GCAS Performs Fourth Confirmed Save (that system can initiate a 5g pull out, btw)

...and pretty much all but the most advanced aircraft autopilot systems will happily fly you right into the side of a mountain if you aren't paying attention.
 
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