Porsche to Bring Holographic Augmented Reality to Cars

From video games to reality

Anyone familiar with modern video games and owning a Porsche is going to be seeing something very similar in the near future. What we're talking about are the red, yellow, and green racing lines that a player would see in racing games like Gran Turismo and the Forza series where you'll see the proper angle and speed for corner entry and exits. These graphics will now be shown in an effort to increase not only safety but also driving skill. 

All adding to the pot

WayRay, a Swiss company, has raised $80 million in funding led by Porsche with participation from Hyundai, Alibaba, China Merchants, Capital, JVC Kenwood, and Consortium of Sovereign Wealth Funds. WayRay is developing holographic augmented reality heads-up display tech for use during driving. What sets this type of display apart from ones drivers have seen in the past that only project basic vehicle info, WayRay's tech will “seamlessly integrate virtual objects into the driving experience”.

>>Join the conversation about new AR tech coming to the model lineup right here in Rennlist.com!

Worry less and drive more

WayRay's AR tech will offer a larger field of view, display virtual objects at a comfortable distance for driver and passenger alike and will merge the latest visual tech along with infotainment info including pertinent navigation instructions. The tech is aiming to become part of the Porsche lineup as early as 2020. Other information displayed will be speed, shift lights, braking markers and those suggested lines we mentioned earlier. If you find yourself at a track day event, you'd be pleased to have a display of the track layout right in your field of view to give you a look ahead at every corner and straightaway before you get to it. 

>>Join the conversation about new AR tech coming to the model lineup right here in Rennlist.com!

Worthy tech

Prior to this investment, WayRay had already raised $28 million, including an $18 million round led by Alibaba last year. With all of the funds it has acquired, the plan is to double down on research and development, grow the team, and push further to partner with car manufacturers. The company has also said it plans to establish an affiliate company to build a pilot production line in Germany. 

>>Join the conversation about new AR tech coming to the model lineup right here in Rennlist.com!

Working towards a clearer future

“The WayRay team has unique expertise with a solid background in space engineering, hardware, and software development,” said Porsche executive Lutz Meschke. “We are convinced that on this basis, we’ll be able to offer our clients customized Porsche solutions. That is why we have made this strategic investment decision.”

“As a deep-tech company, we are committed to creating fundamental innovations that bring us far beyond holographic AR displays and new interfaces,” added WayRay CEO Vitaly Ponomarev. “A growing number of projects with carmakers and strong investors are fueling the company’s growth and boosting our confidence in implementing complex innovations.”

>>Join the conversation about new AR tech coming to the model lineup right here in Rennlist.com!

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