Navigation Meets Projection in Garmin's First Portable Head-Up Display (HUD)

We're still at least a few years away from flying cars and teleportation devices becoming commonplace, but in the meantime, Garmin's ensuring the future is always within arm's reach by announcing HUD, the company's first portable head-up display for smartphone navigation apps. With HUD, a device about the size of a typical GPS unit sits on your dashboard and projects navigation information onto a transparent film that you apply to your windshield.

HUD is able to provide comprehensive road guidance at a glance and right within the driver's line of sight, which in theory should make for safer drivers compared to looking over to the side at a traditional GPS or down at a smartphone. Speaking of which, your smartphone is what provides HUD with navigation information from a Garmin StreetPilot or NAVIGON app via a Bluetooth connection.

"HUD redefines the navigation experience by allowing drivers to find their way without taking their eyes off the road," said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. "Head-up displays currently have their place in select high-end cars, but HUD makes this technology available as an aftermarket accessory for any vehicle, at an affordable price."

The projection doesn't take up much space on the windshield, though it makes the most of its available space by displaying turn arrows, distance to the next turn, current speed, speed limit, and estimated time of arrival. It even tells drivers which lane to be in for the next turn.

HUD will be available sometime this summer for $130 MSRP. Garmin StreetPilot and NAVIGON apps start at $30.