The number of colour cameras on luxury cars is beginning to rival the number of speakers attached to their sound systems. We already have cameras showing multiple angles in the front, sides, rear, as well as being able to provide a ‘birds-eye’ view of the car’s surroundings. In addition, we have infra-red camera technology that is being augmented with pedestrian detection and, in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, road surface recognition that adjusts the suspension in preparation of upcoming bumps or flatter road surfaces.
Land Rover have announced a further evolution of camera technology, which they’ve labelled the ‘Transparent Bonnet’, and will be showing it off in the Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept at the New York Auto Show later this month. The system works by projecting the view from cameras located in the vehicle’s grille onto a large Head-Up Display are on the windscreen. The result is a ‘see-through’ view of the terrain otherwise hidden by the bonnet; it’s both clever and hugely practical.
