Mini's Awesome Augmented Reality Glasses Look Like Futuristic Pilot Goggles

If there’s one piece of technology I’ve been intrigued about seeing in the automotive sector, it’s augmented reality. If your only exposure to AR is holding your phone camera in front of a QR code to see a cartoon character dance on the screen, you’re about to have your mind blown.

Reality is enhanced by the addition of visual information, portrayed through graphics or words or pretty much anything you can think of. It’s used by pilots; AR tech overlays graphics on runways, for example, making them easier to pick out. In the car world, I’ve always imagined it used in a similar way - as an enhanced satellite navigation system - and Mini’s ‘Augmented Vision’ glasses do have some cool sat nav enhancements.

Because the car and the glasses are connected at all times, you can enter destination data outside the car, then transfer it over once you’re in the car. While driving, the AR kit projects direction arrows ‘on’ the road. It also has what Mini is calling ‘First Mile/Last Mile’, which directs you to your car from your current location, or from the car to your final destination.

That’s not all though. A head-up display projects information such as your speed and the speed limit in front of the driver in a way that doesn’t obstruct your view of other road users. It also creates the ability to make pillars ‘invisible’, by placing cameras outside the car to project the view behind blind spots. An uninterupted view around the car would be incredibly useful.

The reason manufacturer AR is preferable over items such as Google Glass is that it will only come with functions relevant to the car. With Google’s effort there are question marks over its safety, as drivers could even be watching television while behind the wheel, though we’re not sure why you’d want to look at pictures of your dog (above) while driving.

Also, Google Glass doesn’t look as hilariously awesome as Mini’s effort. The glasses look like a futuristic vision of retro pilot goggles, and they even manage to look a little bit silly on these dashingly handsome models. They almost pass as cool BioShock aviators while hanging from that guy’s jacket, but then you see him wearing them in the car and you remember they look hilarious. I mean check out the guy below, he looks like Zoolander.

The goggles are in the working prototype stage, and were developed in conjunction with several Qualcomm companies. Mini Augmented Vision will be on display at the Auto Shanghai show between April 22-29.