Here’s a smart idea coming to us from the world of jet fighters where Head-Up Displays have been standard for decades.
Now this basic technology is cheap enough to equip every car with it, not just a few luxury models.
GlobalTop Technology will be showcasing the GPS HUD Speed Meter at CeBIT which displays your speed and other navigational info, like direction, onto your car’s windscreen.
Not having to look down to check your gauges increases safety and the beauty of this device is that it can communicate via Bluetooth with your Smartphone or PDA navigation program.
We’ll be FedExed a HUD module in the next few weeks so that we can report on how it works but this is what we know so far:
First up: who are GlobalTop Technology?
They are part of the ftech group whose GPS receivers (mainly the solar ones) we’ve been reviewing over the past years. They are also bringing out a GTop Chase 550 Professional Navigator here in Australia with smart2go and which we will also review soon. In addition they are also OEM suppliers for companies like Qstarz.
The key features of GlobalTop HUD GPS Speed meter:
displays speed and direction
speed warning function which can be set up by user
receives 32 channels ensuring high accuracy speed and position information
integration via Bluetooth for connection to Smartphone or PDA navigation programs
We have no pricing information as yet nor when this compact system will be available worldwide but we will mention this as soon as we know. Early April is still the date we were given for our review sample.
I can see a few markets outside the obvious automotive field, particularly in General Aviation where the HUD idea is even more desirable, especially during the approach and landing phase where the pilot needs to constantly monitor his ever-changing speed.
We’ll be testing this new device out in this area as well. Stay tuned!
