Hyundai Previews Its High-Tech Future

At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai is offering a taste of the new technology planned for its future products.

First among the new technologies showcased by Hyundai is an augmented reality head-up display (HUD) system. In comparison to the HUD currently available in the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, this system uses animations to warn of incoming weather. Additionally, the system will identify and warn the driver of upcoming hazards like when a car is about to drift in front of you. The system will also display arrows that lead to highway exit ramps, highlight street signs, display smart cruise control distance bars and one-way street markings.

Hyundai is also showing off a connected wrist band that the driver wears while driving the car. It can monitor the drivers heart rate and notify 911 if it changes rapidly. Additionally, the band can vibrate when the lane departure warning system is activated or when a car is about to unexpectedly enter the driver’s lane.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

While this technology seems like a tame upgrade over what we currently have in cars today, Hyundai’s next unveil is a step into the future. Called the 2015 Hyundai Cockpit Concept, it showcases a battery of high-tech features that may trickle into future cars, the most notable of which are the new screens.

Hyundai has developed a 3D gesture method of interacting with the system that it hopes will help curb distracted driving by reducing the need to look at a screen to implement commands.

The concept also includes heart rate monitoring, a driver alertness monitor, blind spot warnings, advanced low fuel level warnings and advanced turn-by-turn navigation. The system will also be able to transfer navigation information from your car to a mobile device, so you can walk to your final destination.

Rear seat passengers are also getting some love from Hyundai. The Korean automaker is looking into the use of tablets in the rear seats. For younger passengers, the car will use a built-in camera to monitor activity in the rear seats and display it in the main screen up front.Hyundai also says rear seat passengers could use the system to access the climate controls and navigation system.

Finally, Hyundai is working on six advanced driver assistance systems. Key among these new technologies is a connected-car system that allows the vehicle to communicate with its surroundings in order to better understand its environment. The car can connect to other vehicles, the smart grid and even pedestrians. Other driver assistance technologies include a highway driving assist, a traffic jam assist, a narrow path recognition system and even a virtual lane generator for cases when painted lines are either covered or worn off.