Aumovio, formerly the automotive division of Continental, partnered with San Diego-based technology firm Epitone to unveil a mirrorless 3D AR Head-Up Display (HUD) at CES 2026. This innovation marks a significant shift in automotive display technology by replacing traditional, bulky mirror-based projection systems with a compact stereoscopic solution.
Technical Features and Innovations
- Compact Packaging: By eliminating the mirrors typically required for projection, the installation space is reduced by up to 50%. The final unit occupies approximately 7 to 8 liters, significantly smaller than the 20-25 liters required by conventional optics.
- Stereoscopic 3D Experience: Utilizing eye-tracking technology, the system delivers slightly different images to each eye, providing a realistic sense of depth without the need for 3D glasses. This allows virtual objects to be projected at distances ranging from 0.6 to 80 meters.
- Wide Field of View: The display offers a substantial viewing area of 15° x 8°, which is equivalent to roughly three traffic lanes in the driver’s direct line of sight.
- Software-Defined Scalability: The system uses intelligent algorithms to adjust the virtual image for different windshield curvatures and tilt angles. This allows a single hardware solution to be scaled across multiple vehicle models without requiring custom-designed mirrors for each one.
Key Advantages
- Enhanced Safety: Critical information like navigation, traffic alerts, and driver assistance data are integrated directly into the field of view, reducing driver distraction.
- Cost Efficiency: Manufacturers can save significant costs by moving away from model-specific custom mirrors toward a more standardized, software-driven hardware platform.
- Versatile Integration: Its small form factor allows for the HUD to be integrated into tighter cockpits where traditional systems might not fit.
Aumovio presented this as a near-production demonstrator at CES 2026, positioning the technology as a new standard for the next generation of software-defined vehicles.
