Heads-up displays (or head-up displays) for cars have been around for quite some time. They’ve even evolved to take on different forms, such as dedicated HUDs, smartphone apps, and even smart glasses. But is an aftermarket heads-up display worth it?
Yes, aftermarket heads-up displays are worth it if you want to simplify your driving information, maintain better focus on the road ahead, and reduce your overall driving fatigue and stress.
Let’s take a closer look at what an automotive heads-up display is and whether it's a worthwhile upgrade for your car.
What Is a Car Heads-up Display, And How Does It Work?
Firstly, let’s start by exploring what a car heads-up display is and how it works. A HUD is a method of displaying crucial information directly in a person’s line of sight so that there’s no need to look down at an instrument panel.
Maybe you’ve heard about HUDs as a feature in fighter jets – it’s the same technology used in similar applications and functions, including regular, everyday vehicles.
With a heads-up display in your car, all crucial driving information is displayed directly on the windscreen. That way, the driver doesn’t have to look down at the instrument panel to know their speed, RPMs, or anything else.
To understand the finer details of heads-up displays for cars, check out our previous article about how HUDs work, where we dive much deeper into that side of things.
Can You Add a HUD to Your Car?
Plenty of makes and models these days come with heads-up displays as a standard feature. Even if your car doesn't offer that, or if you're driving an older vehicle, you may still purchase and install an aftermarket HUD to your car.
With an aftermarket HUD in your vehicle, you can enjoy all the benefits that such a display has to offer.
How Do You Add a Heads-up Display to Your Car?
Not all heads-up displays for cars are made the same. So, if you’d like to add a HUD to your car, there are three ways you can go about doing that: by having a dedicated HUD installed, by using a smartphone and app as a heads-up display, or by using smart glasses instead.
Dedicated HUDs
These days, you can find plenty of dedicated heads-up display units available on the market. This type of HUD is also available at different price points to suit all budgets.
If you were to purchase a dedicated HUD, the unit will sit on your dashboard and project the information directly onto a transparent display of its own.
These units display information like your speed, time, temperature, and almost anything else you’d prefer. The information can also be customised to suit your needs and preferences.
Smartphone and App HUDs
Some people prefer to test the waters before investing in a dedicated car heads-up display like the one described above. If that sounds like you, another option would be to use your smartphone as a heads-up display app.
To use it, you would open the app and then place your phone on the dashboard. The display will reflect onto your windscreen, and that will serve as a temporary heads-up display.
Smart Glasses HUDs
Smart glasses are also another possibility, although they are the least common option for enjoying HUD features in your car. Smart glasses allow you to view all sorts of information on the lens itself. When connected to your vehicle, those glasses could instead display information related to your car, like its speed and much more.
Unlike the two previous options, the heads-up display isn't on your dashboard or projected onto your windscreen. Instead, it's right in front of your eyes, projected on the lenses.
Are Heads-up Displays Legal in Australia?
In Australia, the law surrounding car heads-up displays can be pretty confusing. Firstly, each state and territory in Australia uses slightly different road laws, to begin with. Secondly, there’s a grey area regarding the category of heads-up displays (e.g. are they ‘visual display devices’ or not?).
Any electronic device that requires you to interact with it while driving is a bad idea to have around, both legally and safety-wise. That’s because anything that takes your attention away from your steering wheel while driving is a distraction.
So, if you want to enjoy the benefits of a heads-up display in your car, you’d be better off with a dedicated HUD instead of using the smartphone/app arrangement.
Of course, none of this is legal advice. The law has yet to evolve to mention car heads-up displays, so you should always refer to your local road authority to be sure.
It’s never a bad idea to call your local road authorities to find out if a car HUD will be a problem.
Are Car Heads-up Displays Any Good?
All things considered, are car heads-up displays worth the investment? Well, yes, they are. Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy with a car HUD of your own:
Eyes on the road: It’s all in the name. The first and most important benefit of a HUD is that it allows you to keep your head up at all times. Instead of having to look down at your instrument panel or any other display, everything you need to know is in your field of vision while you focus on the road ahead.
That reduces the risk of distraction and allows you to identify and react to road dangers much more quickly.
Simplifies information: Drivers these days are overloaded with all sorts of information, from their instrument panels, in-car displays, and navigation apps. With the best aftermarket HUD for cars, you can customise and simplify the information by choosing to see only the essentials at any given time.
Reduces fatigue and stress: With simplified information and better focus on the road, your fatigue and stress while driving will be significantly reduced.
To learn more about car heads-up displays and other functional aftermarket upgrades, you can check out our blog at Carpart.com.au.
By Ray Hasbollah