Apple recently published a patent for an augmented reality display system that could be used as a vehicle windshield, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office documents. 

The system, which could be used on one or more transparent surfaces of a vehicle, would be able to display information such as the speed of the vehicle relative to the local speed limit, the patent says. 

External objects that the driver can’t see from their vantage point could also be displayed on the windshield, the patent says. The windshield could receive data about the surrounding environment via sensors, camera devices, radar and or scanning devices, it says. 

Internal sensors data including cameras, scanning or radar devices could display control elements such as an accelerometer and speedometer. 

Geographical information could also be displayed such as signage or locations obscured to the driver. 

A Motor Authority article says that the patent doesn’t offer many details on the hardware for the system. 

“Current augmented reality systems, such as the one in some recent Mercedes-Benz vehicles that can project arrows onto a view of the road ahead as part of the navigation system, rely on head-up displays,” Motor says. “But filling the entire windshield with three-dimensional imagery is another matter.”

Augmented reality tech has been featured in two connect vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz Concept Cla-Class and Volkswagen ID.GTI, according to Motor.

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Feature photo courtesy of  ozgurdonmaz/iStock. Embeded photo courtesy of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.