Cockpit simulator brings together latest human-machine interaction (HMI) technologies such as gesture control and pressure-sensitive touch in real-world driving scenarios.
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, MICH. – Attendees at the 2016 International CES Jan. 6-9 can experience several cockpit electronics concepts aimed at reducing driver distraction and making the driving experience more intuitive and enjoyable at Visteon Corporation‘s exhibit in Central Plaza (CP20), at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Visteon will display two vehicles featuring advanced concepts – one with 3-D gesture technology and the other with a large field-of-vision windshield head-up-display (HUD). A separate driving simulator brings together the latest Visteon human-machine interaction (HMI) input technologies for an interactive experience using real-world driving scenarios.
Time of Flight Vehicle
Visteon takes in-vehicle gesture control to a new level with a proprietary 3-D gesture recognition concept demonstrated within a compact multi-purpose vehicle. The system quickly reads defined hand movements to command certain features, using time-of-flight camera technology and high-performance, image-processing algorithms. Reading hand gestures faster and more precisely than with today’s 2-D solutions helps prevent distraction when accessing driver information and infotainment systems. The system offers the possibility to render any surface touch-sensitive, thanks to its high spatial accuracy, eliminating the need for touch panels on displays.
“The system recognizes specific gestures such as holding up one, two or three fingers to perform different functions such as operating the windows, changing audio volume or opening the glove box,” said Patrick Nebout, director, advanced technology and innovation for Visteon. “This provides quicker access, without the need to touch buttons or look for knobs. The system distinguishes between driver and passenger hand gestures, and also allows customizable gestures.”
Time of flight technology is based on the time it takes for light to travel from the source to the object and back to the camera’s sensor. By providing distance images in real time, the time-of-flight camera enables close-range gesture control in the cockpit.
Large Field-of-View Head-Up Display
Demonstrated on a C-segment (compact) vehicle, Visteon delivers an extra-large windshield HUD image with rich color, contrast and brightness – enhancing content without requiring the user to look away from his or her usual viewpoint. The wide-field image – about twice the size of a normal windshield HUD – allows the driver to see information not usually displayed in HUD systems, such as menus for music, multimedia and simple maps. The full-color image is designed to be seen clearly even on very bright days, through a powerful backlight and large mirror inside the instrument panel.
“Having a wide image provides more freedom to put information in front of drivers so they can keep their eyes on the road,” said Nebout. “As an extension of our expertise in head-up technology, we are demonstrating that we can manage space restrictions to develop high-quality, large-field-of-vision HUD systems for mass market vehicles.”
The full-color resolution display uses data analytics to understand the environment in and around the vehicle, such as rain or heavy traffic. The driver sees different information displayed on the windshield as road and driving conditions change, prompting him or her to change speeds, adjust climate controls, respond to warnings, navigate, select music or answer the phone – all while keeping their eyes in the direction of the road.
Contextual User Experience Cockpit
Several Visteon HMI technologies converge in this interactive cockpit simulator, including spatial gesture technology, pressure-sensitive touch pads and contextual or suggestive HMI – which helps drivers make quicker decisions based on past preferences and the changing environment around the vehicle.
Visitors to Visteon’s CES exhibit who sit in the cockpit simulator can experience these features:
- Spatial gesture (swipe up, down, left, right, and rotary motions), available at significantly less cost than camera-based solutions
- Pressure-sensitive touch pad input zones for the driver and passenger, which sense the depth and location of button presses to trigger different features. Additionally, the surface can create a “virtual” touch screen and can also accommodate handwriting recognition. The pressure-sensitive pad works when the user is wearing gloves, and can accommodate various surface finishes, including leather, wood veneers, vinyl, plastic and composites.
- Contextual or suggestive HMI – Using data analytics, this feature creates shortcuts and suggestions, specific to each driver, based on past behavior for connectivity, entertainment, navigation and climate. For example, when the driver gets in the car to go home from work, he or she can set the destination for home, check traffic, call home, and turn on the defroster with one gesture, as opposed to navigating a menu for each option.
- Time-of-Flight gesture system – Allows for more complex gestures such as hand/finger signs and swipes; enables the creation of virtual touch planes and/or surfaces in the vehicle.
Automakers are placing a priority on simplicity and usability, which is driving the need for an intelligent, contextual way of interacting with information and entertainment in the vehicle. The Visteon driving simulator enables users to interact with technologies in real-world driving scenarios, to better illustrate the impact and benefits of various features.
Photo caption: Sachin Lawande, Visteon presindent and CEO.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
