From [Garmin-> garmin] there is a new product on the market: Das Garmin HUD. The abbreviation HUD stands for Head-Up-Display. This works in conjunction with a Bluetooth connection to the iPhone and shows important data from the navigation programs of Garmin (the StreetPilot app) or Navigon as simplified monochrome graphics on the windshield of the car.
Chapter in this post:
Using the HUD in traffic
For example, you place the HUD in front of the steering wheel and can then decide whether to use a plastic reflector on the device (a transparent plastic disc) or rather attach the supplied reflector foil to the car window. This field then displays the data that the device receives from the navigationApp gets transmitted.
A great feature is the HUD's brightness sensor, which detects how much ambient light is currently available in the respective situation. The brightness of the display is controlled accordingly. Even in bright sunlight you have a clear display and at night in the dark the display is dimmed to a pleasant value.
The navigation voice continues to come from the smartphone and is not output by the Garmin HUD.
The HUD offers only a few elements very clearly on its display. In total, this is the following information:
- Estimated Time Of Arrival
- Arrows showing how to turn
- Distance to the maneuver
- current speed and prescribed speed
- Speed warning
- radar Detectors
- Lane Assistant
- Traffic jam warning
Advantages and disadvantages of the Garmin HUD display
There are of course hot discussions about the usefulness of such a device, which costs as much as some GPS devices that can be stuck to the front of the windshield. And the Garmin HUD does not have a built-in navigation system, it simply displays the data it receives from the smartphone navigation system in a clear and precise manner. Nevertheless, it offers a number of advantages when using the head-up display:
- For example, it also shows the navigation instructions when you are on the phone with the iPhone or the navigation app is no longer in the foreground
- you can keep your eyes on the road and don't have to look away from the windshield to look at the smartphone's display at the ventilation slots or other preferred points of attachment
- the battery of the iPhone is used less because you can turn off the display and concentrate only on the display of the HUD
- the HUD has a USB output that can also be used to charge the iPhone
- the simple arrow navigation makes the display clear and it is enough even for complex traffic situations
But of course the other camp also has some negative points to mention:
- you have to connect the Garmin HUD to the cigarette lighter with a cable. This gives you a cable that runs behind the steering wheel and doesn't look very decorative
- the HUD currently only works with two navigation apps and does not work, for example, with Apple Maps, TomTom, ALK CoPilot Live GPS, Sygic GPS or the Bosch Navi app.
- you can not yet put together the display with your desired elements
- the device is still the size of a hand and quite bulky
Conclusion: good, but expandable
On the whole, the idea and implementation of the Garmin HUD has succeeded. There are certainly still a few points that could be improved with firmware updates or small changes to the device, but it already fulfills its main purpose and focuses the driver's attention on the windshield and the traffic situation that can be seen through it.
You can buy the Garmin Head-Up-Display here:
If you still need a bit of audiovisual input, here is a video from Garmin that clearly shows the use of the HUD:
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Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He acts as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with technical problems. In his spare time he rides electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with the iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions to current bugs.
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