Transparent Bonnet | Enables Drivers to See Through the Bonnet

Land Rover has revealed new augmented reality technology that effectively makes a car’s bonnet ‘see-through’, allowing under-car terrain to be ‘virtually’ visible from inside the cabin.

Set to debut on the recently teased Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept car at next week’s New York auto show, the new camera-based technology, dubbed ‘Transparent Bonnet’, is said to provide full visibility of the terrain beneath and in front of the car “with total clarity of otherwise hidden obstacles”.

Intended to show how the British brand plans to use advanced technology to take its vehicles’ capabilities to the next level, Transparent Bonnet uses a head-up display fed by data captured by grille-mounted cameras to effectively allow drivers to see through the bonnet and engine bay.

Land Rover says the technology better enables drivers to climb steep inclines or manoeuvre a vehicle in confined spaces by displaying not only the terrain in front of the car but also the angle and position of its front wheels.

Jaguar Land Rover director of research and technology Wolfgang Epple said JLR was developing new technologies such as Transparent Bonnet to help drivers tackle anything from off-road routes to tight urban car parks.

“As our vehicles become more capable and autonomous off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to allow the car to continue to progress, over any terrain,” Epple said.

The Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept will be unveiled in New York on April 16.

- Caradvice