3D HUD for cars

Pretty cool. [Link]

At the 2011 Augmented Reality Expo, we got a chance to check out the first prototype of a three dimensional volumetric head-up display designed for your car. "Volumetric" means that this display has a depth component: it's not just able to display things in 3D, it can actually make stuff look like it's way off down the road, which comes in handy when there's something way off down the road that you need to know about.

So for example, if you've used a GPS system while you're driving, you're probably used to seeing an arrow or something pop up on the screen telling you that you've got a mile to go before you need to make a turn. Using this new system, you'd actually see an arrow appear a mile down the road, showing you exactly where to go. With this kind of capability, instead of relying on discrete arrows, it's possible to just generate a "virtual cable" that hangs above the road to lead you to your destination: