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BACK TO ALL NEWS Currently reading: Should we let cars use the road as a projection screen? UP NEXT Cenex 2022: the top UK automotive start-ups to watch Should we let cars use the road as a projection screen? Ford recently revealed details of headlights which can project symbols such as directional arrows onto the road Open gallery * Headlight road sign projection Road surface is used to display information such as an icy weather warning * Rapid charging Tailored charging protocols could mean ultra-rapid charging is possible without deteriorating batteries * Headlight road sign projection * Rapid charging Close [user-] News by Jesse Crosse 3 mins read 12 September 2022 Share Finding ways for drivers to control their cars and give them vital information without distraction has proved tricky over the years. Touchscreens were intended to reduce the level of distraction but have proven controversial, while head-up displays for keeping drivers informed work well but are still a premium feature. Ford recently revealed details of its work on high-resolution headlights, which use the road surface as a kind of screen on which to project symbols, such as direction arrows from the sat-nav system or weather-related information like the ice warning symbol that appears on the instrument display. Related articles * * Near-zero-emission rotary engine could extend life of ICEs * Liz Truss "prepared to look at" scrapping motorway speed limits * BMW starts hydrogen fuel cell production for BMW iX5 * Can synthetic fuel replace fossil fuel on a global scale? * How repairable batteries make life easier for EV owners Headlights could also project lines showing the width of the car, making it less risky to squeeze through tight spaces at night. Back in 2018, Mercedes-Benz revealed its Digital Light, which made its debut in the S-Class and does much the same thing. Each of the headlights contains a chip that works in conjunction with an impressive one million micro-mirrors per headlight. The control logic of the system feeds detailed information about the car's surroundings to algorithms using the car's external sensors. Using that information, the software calculates the brightness for each of the two million pixels in the pair of headlights. The tech is now available on other models, too, such as the EQS and the C-Class, which has three LEDs in each headlight along with 1.3 million micro-mirrors to refract the light and create images on the road. Audi announced what appears to be an identical system, with 1.3 million micro-mirrors per headlight capable of projecting graphics onto the road, in 2020. A few years ago, Audi was the first to show matrix-beam headlights, plus the cool-looking prototype 'swarm', an illuminated surface that turned the rear of the car into a swarm of tiny pixels to indicate a change of pace or left or right turn. A laser diode in place of the foglight could also paint a wide 'stop' line on the road behind the car to warn following cars in fog or snow. Behind the scenes, joint-venture Osram Continental, formed by two giant suppliers, first revealed the Smartrix-HD headlight technology in 2019, based on its Eviyos LEDs, which generate 26,500 pixels each as well as producing the 'shaped' lighting patterns of matrix headlamps. The same technology is behind the projection of images on the road. Given the fairly rapid roll-out of digital projection technology, it's reasonable to assume that it won't stop there, with Ford the first manufacturer of lower-priced cars to show an interest. The idea is that the tech can be used to assist not only the driver but also other road users and pedestrians, for instance warning of slippery surfaces. Advertisement Latest Drives mg hs phev 43 front tracking MG HS Plug-in Hybrid 2022 UK review MG HS Plug-in Hybrid 2022 UK review range rover 2022 004 cornering front Range Rover Plug-in Electric Hybrid review Range Rover Plug-in Electric Hybrid review Ford F150 Lightning front dynamic Despite weighing nearly three tonnes, the F-150 Lightning hits 60mph in 4.3sec Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 review Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 review 01 Range Rover V8 P530 FD 2022 Hero front The new Range Rover gains the V8 engine seen in the 50i range of BMWs Range Rover P530 2022 review Range Rover P530 2022 review WC Ford Focus twin test WW 22 20220321 0010 (1) Car pictured is in ST-Line trim Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 2022 review Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 2022 review View all latest drives Back to top Like so many of these advanced ideas, though, the dividing line between safety aid and sales aid is thinly drawn. What, for example, will the view from a car look like in an urban environment or a busy road in the future? Will it be clear who is projecting which image? What about images from different vehicles overlaying one another - and will that lead to more distraction, rather than less? Anti-ageing battery bid [gif] Scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory think machine-learning could significantly reduce battery ageing caused by ultra-rapid charging. Different types of battery cell react differently but individual, tailored charging protocols could make 10-minute charging possible without deterioration. 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You can unsubscribe via any email we send See our full privacy notice for more details [ ] [Submit] Subscribe Never miss an issue of the world's oldest car magazine - subscribe to Autocar magazine today. Subscribe Advertisement Join the debate Comments 9 Add a comment... Add your comment Log in or register to post comments Peter Cavellini 12 September 2022 If your the next generation driving ,yes, your going to want the latest tech, it's part of their life's, they've grown up using it, if your from three generations back, your not going to use the tech, you don't have to, you can ignore it, silence any beebs etc you don't like, and, the only aid I think would be useful is Radar, must be helpful in foggy conditions, an extra pair of eyes which would see what you can't with your human eyes. * Log in or register to post comments catnip 12 September 2022 Since when were touchscreens "intended to reduce the level of distraction"? Surely they were only ever intended to reduce costs, and to attract younger customers who just cannot bear being too far from a screen? * Log in or register to post comments Bob Cholmondeley 12 September 2022 How much is it going to cost to replace a headlight, with a multitude of mirros inside, when it gets broken? * Log in or register to post comments View all comments (4) Latest Drives mg hs phev 43 front tracking MG HS Plug-in Hybrid 2022 UK review MG HS Plug-in Hybrid 2022 UK review range rover 2022 004 cornering front Range Rover Plug-in Electric Hybrid review Range Rover Plug-in Electric Hybrid review Ford F150 Lightning front dynamic Despite weighing nearly three tonnes, the F-150 Lightning hits 60mph in 4.3sec Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 review Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 review 01 Range Rover V8 P530 FD 2022 Hero front The new Range Rover gains the V8 engine seen in the 50i range of BMWs Range Rover P530 2022 review Range Rover P530 2022 review WC Ford Focus twin test WW 22 20220321 0010 (1) Car pictured is in ST-Line trim Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 2022 review Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 2022 review View all latest drives More from Autocar Top 10s * The 10 best family SUVs * The 10 best electric cars * The 10 best hatchbacks * The 10 best hybrid SUVs * The 10 best superminis Latest car reviews * Seat Ibiza * Peugeot 508 * Jaguar I-Pace * Skoda Kodiaq * Volvo XC40 Top manufacturers * Peugeot * Seat * Volkswagen * Ford * Vauxhall Sign up to our newsletter Subscribe to Autocar magazine Quick search * Top 10s * Latest car reviews * Latest news * Latest videos * Used cars for sale We recommend * Geneva motor show * What Car? * New Car Deals * Classic and Sports Car * What Car? 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