Land Rover’s ‘Transparent Hood’ tech is the next best thing to X-Ray vision

By Nick Jaynes April 8, 2014

land rover vision concept showcases transparent hood technology — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Out on the off-road trail, vision is key.

And as the course contorts your vehicle in all sorts of awkward, angled positions, and normal visibility changes, there are only a few ways to see what’s ahead: post your buddy out on the trail or lean your head out the window.

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For a true gentleman off-roader, though, none of those solutions is ideal. Luckily, Land Rover has a solution.

Land Rover’s Discovery Vision Concept, which will debut at the New York Auto Show next week, will demonstrate brand’s new “Transparent Hood” technology. Amazingly, it works just like how it sounds.

Discovery Vision Concept_Technology 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cameras mounted in the front of the vehicle feed live video to a smart windshield, which projects a vehicle-wide image of the path ahead, effectively making the hood see-through.

While designed for off-road use, it has applications from, as Land Rover puts it, “from the city to the sand dunes,” as the technology takes the guess work out of parallel parking, making inner city luxury 4×4 ownership far less taxing.

“As our vehicles become more capable and offer increasing autonomy off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to progress over any terrain.” Dr. Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover said in a prepared statement. “We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Hood to give drivers an augmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of urban parking.”

If you’re keen to know more about the forthcoming Land Rover Discover Vision Concept and the Transparent Hood technology, make sure to keep up on our 2014 New York Auto Show coverage.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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