Are Smart Windscreens the Future?
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While smart windscreens have been on the scene for a few years now, they haven’t really become popular features of everyday vehicles until rather recently. So, what exactly is a smart windscreen? Well, like all smart gadgets, their main USP is the additional information they provide. From the usual stuff such as warning lights and speed to more unique features like eye tracking, smart windscreens offer some genuinely useful benefits that, sooner or later, we may not be able to live without.
What is a smart windscreen?
A smart windscreen can just be understood as a regular windscreen with integrated smart technology. This technology provides the driver with additional information to help them on their journey, and much of this information is actually projected right onto the windscreen itself. This is known as a heads-up display.
Heads-up display (HUD)
Heads-up displays, or augmented reality displays, are projected sequences of information that appear right on your windscreen. While this sort of technology sounds new, it’s actually been a feature of fighter jets for decades. This is because the pilot needs access to vital information without having to take their eyes off the glass in front of them. This sort of thinking is now being applied to everyday motorists, because if they had easier access to important safety information such as braking distance to the vehicle ahead, then this might lead to fewer accidents.
What sort of information can a HUD provide?
- Directions to a destination
- Safety information, such as braking distances
- Changes in weather conditions
- Real-time traffic information
Eye tracking
Smart windscreens don’t just provide us with information about what’s going on around us; they will also provide us with information about ourselves as we drive, thanks to eye tracking.
Many smart windscreens also feature tiny interior-facing cameras that actively scan and monitor the movement of our eyes, such as gaze direction and eyelid movement, and then feed this information back to us. The idea here is that our windscreens can actually detect when we’re experiencing fatigue before we can, and provide us with an on-screen prompt telling us to take a break!
Eye tracking isn’t currently a common feature of smart windscreens, but certain brands, such as Toyota’s Lexus in particular, have been leading the charge with this technology.
Are smart windscreens safe?
One of the main arguments that you could level against smart windscreens is that the additional information provided could end up being more of a distraction than anything else, particularly because the information is projected onto the windscreen and could end up obscuring the driver’s view, even if only partially. This is especially true considering that some brands have toyed with the idea of allowing the front-seat passenger to be able to watch entertainment projected onto their side of the windscreen, which could end up being a huge distraction. Although it’s not clear at this stage whether this sort of thing will come to market.
All that said, much of the information that smart windscreens provide, such as braking distances and important vehicle safety information, could end up reducing accidents if used correctly. What’s more, drivers have much more immediate access to that information since it’s on the windscreen, meaning they don’t have to look down at their dashboards to try and find it, which could ultimately lead – and certainly does lead – to accidents.
When will smart windscreens become the norm?
Smart windscreens have been in production for a good few years now, but their use is still limited to luxury vehicles. As more and more brands invest in this technology, we can expect this to start becoming the norm in mid-range or even lower-end vehicles. The 1st Call Windscreens team predicts that this will start to happen in around three to five years’ time.
Here at 1st Call Windscreens, we’re one of the leading windscreen repair and replacement specialists throughout Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Kent. For more information about our services, or to learn about the different brands that we can work on, all you have to do is give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.
1st Call Windscreens
We are proud to be a leading windscreen company covering our local areas of Maidstone, Sittingbourne and the rest of Kent since 1996. Our 25+ years experience in windscreen services includes windscreen repair and replacement for cars, vans, trucks and more! Our expert technicians hold the relevant qualifications so you can rest easy knowing that your windscreen is in safe hands.
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Excellent service, gave me the choice of windows for my KIA AS I was unsure of the type of tinting I would like. Job completed, looks very good, will use 1st Call for any future work and will recommen...
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Excellent service. A niggling leak on the windscreen was fixed quickly and efficiently. The screen was removed without fuss or damage and resealed. It's a job that insurers won't touch,they only de...
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Absolutely the best. From the first phone call to collecting my car with new side window that had been vandalised being replaced. next day service so my car was back on the road promptly. Extremely ...
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Excellent Workmanship Good Value and Top Quality Customer Service: I recently had my Ford Fiesta ST heated windscreen replaced by 1st Call Windscreens, I couldn't be happier with the whole experienc...
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Brilliant service. Would recommend 1st call windscreens to anyone looking for an efficient service. Friendly and helpful above and beyond ! 0...
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Asked for a quote online which came through quickly. Just £48 inc vat for windscreen stone chip. Phoned to book a repair. I could either take the car to them or they would come out to me the next day....
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Tom turned up on time, he was professional but friendly, he kept me informed on what he was doing and progress, and did a great job! Thanks Tom. Would highly recommend...
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Couldn't be happier, had my Evoque windscreen re sealed as was leaking. Highly recommend 1st Call Windscreens. The guys were extremely helpful & friendly both on phone and doing the work. The work was...
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Fantastic service, booked for a site visit to alleviate any disruption to the engineers day and it all went seamlessly. I would definitely recommend 1st Call Windscreens and will use them in the futu...
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Customer service were great responded to my call out vey quickly and the guy that came out was very nice and helpful Thank you...
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Had my chip fixed at my home this afternoon - cannot praise the service enough!!!! Lovely man who took 10-15 minutes - perfect job and no issues - very good price and highly recommend them Jo Seveno...
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Very helpful and carried out a repair at very short notice on our way to catch a ferry. Very polite and stabilised the chip in our windscreen so that we could continue abroad for our holiday uninterru...
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Made a call to 1st call windscreens as I was worried about a chip in my screen. The guys were very helpful, turned up on time and carried out a fantastic repair and was cheaperthan my insurance acce...
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We had an emergency windscreen repair needed when travelling down from Oxfordshire to Kent. The Sittingbourne team went out of their way to help us at very short notice and allowing us to resume our j...
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Jake was friendly, polite and helpful. He left no mess inside or outside the car and took away the boxes the seals came in even though they were supplied direct by the BMW dealer....
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Arrived on time at my home address. Was very professional, polite and efficient. No hassle and no mess. Screen was replaced on my mini in no time at all and looks perfect. Thank you will highly recom...
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So happy with Byron and Jake today very friendly and professional from 1st Call Windscreens Ltd. They come extremely well prepared with attention to detail. A great job was done on replacing my wind...
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