Land Rover’s new concept can make a car transparent

Land Rover is showcasing a new concept that would give drivers a better view of the road through augmented reality. The Transparent Bonnet Concept utilizes cameras mounted in the car’s grille to capture a view of the road that’s usually obscured by the hood. This data is then fed to a heads-up display that shows the video in real-time at the bottom of the windscreen, overlaying where a driver sees their car’s bonnet and effectively giving the impression that it — and the engine — are transparent.

Land Rover’s development of the concept is clearly at an early stage, but the company envisions the system being a big help with climbing steep inclines and uneven terrain. The technology could also prove useful with visibility in tight urban environments, helping drivers to notice otherwise invisible obstacles. The Transparent Bonnet Concept will form part of a larger “design vision” to be unveiled later this month at the New York International Auto Show that Land Rover says will define the next generation of its popular Discovery (named LR in the US) SUVs.