Jaguar Land Rover develops Transparent Pillar and ‘Follow-Me’ Ghost Car Navigation Research

Jaguar Land Rover has launched a research project to develop technologies that will offer drivers a 360⁰ view out of their vehicle, uninterrupted by the pillars that support the roof. 

A screen would be embedded in the surface of each pillar inside the car and would take a live video feed from cameras covering the angles outside the vehicle, all of which are usually obscured in the blind spots created by the A, B and C pillars. 

Pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles would be visible all around the car. By combining the transparent pillars with an advanced high quality ‘Heads-Up’ display, the movement of other road users could be highlighted to the driver with an on-screen halo moving across the car’s virtual windscreen. 

When the driver indicates to change direction, moves their head to look over their shoulder during an overtake manoeuvre or as the vehicle approaches a junction, the system would automatically make the left or right-hand side pillars transparent. 

Dr. Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology at Jaguar Land Rover, said, “Our ultimate aim is to reduce the potential for accidents and enhance the urban driving experience. The Jaguar Land Rover research team is developing this technology to improve visibility and to provide the driver with the right information at the right time. If we can keep the driver’s eyes on the road ahead and present information in a non-distracting way, we can help them make better decisions even in the most demanding and congested driving environments.” 

The most intuitive and efficient way to navigate to a specific location is to be able to follow someone who knows the best route. As such, the Jaguar Land Rover team is developing the ‘Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation’, which projects an image of a vehicle in front of the driver’s car for them to follow, turn by turn, to their destination.