Hud?

[JeffK]

Regulations in the US regarding instrument clusters in personal vehicles is surprisingly sparse

I can't find a single mention that you need an instrument cluster at all... The only thing that super important is to not lie about odometer readings when selling the vehicle.

Can someone find an actual law that pertains to personal vehicles (not buses, etc)?
Everything cited so far is either not helpful or doesn't pertain to cars.

 

[zenmaster]

FMCSA part 390 specifies a speedometer. This is actually a federal regulation and not a set of proposed guidelines which may or may not become law.

 

[JeffK]

FMCSA part 390 specifies a speedometer.

Can you actually cite the section? I see nothing regarding personal vehicles and speedometers... only for commercial vehicles

 

[zenmaster]

Can you actually cite the section? I see nothing regarding personal vehicles and speedometers... only for commercial vehicles

You are correct. There is only a law for the odometer on personal vehicles. You can actually drive with a broken speedometer if your odometer still works.

There is proposed legislation in this area due to distracted driving problems and autonomous functionality, but no actual federal regulations as of yet.

 

[JeffK]

I'd really enjoy something similar to that continental augmented reality demo where we could get an idea of what the autonomous functionality is "thinking and seeing"

 

[Booga]

Speed, range to empty, warning light. My wife would be _very_ happy to be able to set up a display to be as simple as that.

I think that's all it should be as well quite frankly. Things will be different than with an ICE, but I've wondered why we don't already have more digital layouts on the car. The need for a physical part to move up and down to show your RPM or speed is something we're used to, but don't need. (When I race karts on a track, more moving parts like that are just going to be prone to failing, so it's all digital anyway)

 

[ecarfan]

It seems logical that Tesla's apparent obsession with glass and windshields has a future HUD component. Maybe the ghosting at night some people complain about on the X is the result of some laminations intended to enhance HUD.

Very insightful comment. You may be on to something there.

 

[Booga]

The cheap devices you see on Amazon aren't huds - it's just reflected images. A true HUD image is collimated to get it to be projected in front of the vehicle, and that requires lenses and mirrors to achieve.

Here is what a proper HUD mount in a vehicle looks like - this is from the Continental HUD system that's being used by BMW/Audi/Mercedes.

It's an off-the-shelve unit Tesla can also just use without getting themselves into another FWD fiasco, but you can clearly see it's not an $8 jobby. Hard to say what the true costs is to a manufacturer, but judging by the complexity and after-market price I would guess between $500 and $1000.

View attachment 176696



Maybe Tesla would go the cheap way and go for something like the Continental Combiner HUD on that site. Don't know the price, but it's supposed to be cheaper - still not an $8 job though.


However, keep in mind that the Model 3 will have autopilot, but just think about how important it is for the Model S to have the glass cockpit in front of the driver so that you can know what autopilot is doing, and know when you can trust it and when not. When you take that glass display away, you have a problem that needs to be address. With that in mind, take a look at the upcoming (2016 release) AR-HUD from Continental, and see if this isn't a match made in heaven for Tesla.

If you don't want to look at everything (though it's cool), skip 3:40 minutes into it:

Nice video find - this has to absolutely be it, especially for Autopilot. I drove a Model S and noticed that when autopilot was enabled, the only "downside" is that you have to look down to see its detection of lane markings and surrounding vehicle movements.

The idea of an HUD is really compelling, because it would be a much safer way to see what the car is thinking during Autopilot usage. It's good in general, especially with directions, but I think this is absolutely the way Tesla is going to go. It makes sense given the dashboard design from the unveiling.

 

[malcolm]

If Tesla can find a way to create an Autopilot augmented reality which both overlays and tracks the road and vehicles in front of you in 3D and with matching perspective - that would be astonishing.

Kind of like the Terminator POV when he walks into the Biker Bar in Judgement Day.

Too ambitious for HUD 1.0?

 

[electracity]

Too ambitious for HUD 1.0?

This is the question that frightens all model 3 reservation holders

Not just autoplot, but navigation. I prefer HUD navigation cues to audio directions.

The car could possibly also point out important objects when driving manually e.g. stop signs on unfamiliar roads

 

[Dan Detweiler]

I could very well be wrong on this but I think an HUD is one of the least challenging things facing Tesla in getting this car to production. I would think things like battery chemistry and size needed to reach projected range while keeping cost to the stated base price would be much more of a challenge that sticking a Heads Up Display in the car.

Dan

 

[JeffK]

Manufacturers have been demoing HUDs for a few years now. As long as Tesla puts the hardware in place the rest is just software which they can always adjust later.

 

[Booga]

This is the question that frightens all model 3 reservation holders

Not just autoplot, but navigation. I prefer HUD navigation cues to audio directions.

The car could possibly also point out important objects when driving manually e.g. stop signs on unfamiliar roads

This could serve a lot of purposes. It might also be a test of the autonomous capabilities of the car. If it doesn't detect a road sign, you might be able to say "Hey Tesla, you missed that stop sign. Please report it." and then it gets documented as a flaw.

If the Model 3 has enough cameras and sensors, it's possible that the hardware will be in place to support fully autonomous driving.

Another thread showed that the Mobileye technology can do a lot of it already with 3 cameras on the front of the car. I don't recall what kind of sensor/camera array it requires for the other angles and sides of the car though.

It would be absolutely amazing if it was a few years later that you can enable "autonomous" driving in states that allow it for an additional amount. I'm guessing construction zones and/or extreme weather may not be resolved though.

 

[electracity]

I could very well be wrong on this but I think an HUD is one of the least challenging things facing Tesla in getting this car to production. I would think things like battery chemistry and size needed to reach projected range while keeping cost to the stated base price would be much more of a challenge that sticking a Heads Up Display in the car.

Dan

A basic HUD, yes. But augmented reality requires a big projection area and driver alignment to correctly place the projected objects. Musk would of course want augmented reality. The question is how far they will go.

 

[malcolm]

Er...well fear is also compelling.

(I'm not helping here, am I?)

In the end there's bound to be lots of internet click-bait with alarmist titles featuring "HUDgate" and "HUDris".

(Okay, still not helping)

You just have to embrace it as all part of the Tesla experience.

 

[Booga]

I could very well be wrong on this but I think an HUD is one of the least challenging things facing Tesla in getting this car to production. I would think things like battery chemistry and size needed to reach projected range while keeping cost to the stated base price would be much more of a challenge that sticking a Heads Up Display in the car.

Dan

I agree with you. This one might be more about getting suppliers to get the prices to a point where it's more reasonable in this price range.

 

[Xaff]

If there is a HUD, then it will be standard. Musk wouldn't have said "that wasn't the real steering system" otherwise. Who makes a steering system optional?

 

[Booga]

If there is a HUD, then it will be standard. Musk wouldn't have said "that wasn't the real steering system" otherwise. Who makes a steering system optional?

Yeah - I think the design of it necessitates a heads up display. Maybe Netflix streaming to it in full screen mode will be an additional upgrade though.

 

[malcolm]

Musk would of course want augmented reality.

That right there is possibly the best soundbite / encapsulation of Elon I've heard.

Transportation. Colonisation. Energy.

Thank the dear Lord that he doesn't work in Armaments!

 

[deonb]

Musk would of course want augmented reality.

Tsk, Musk augments reality all the time!