Transparent roof pillars tackle blind spots in cars

As cars have become bigger and heavier, the increased size of roof pillars has created dangerous blind spots in the driver’s view that obscure pedestrians, cyclists and other cars - a problem that has prompted Jaguar Land Rover to develop transparent roof pillars for cars that give the driver an uninterrupted view outside the car and promise to improve road safer for all.

The '360 Virtual Urban Windscreen' has screens embedded on each pillar inside the car that display a live video feed from cameras filming views of the outside usually obscured by blind spots. Pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles that otherwise have been hidden, become apparent to the driver.

Transparent roof pillars tackle blind spots in cars

When the driver indicates, looks over their shoulder, or as the vehicle approaches a junction, the system automatically makes the left or right-hand side pillars transparent.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology at Jaguar Land Rover, said: "Our ultimate aim is to reduce road accidents and enhance the urban driving experience. The Jaguar Land Rover research team is developing this technology to improve visibility and to give the driver with the right information at the right time. If we can keep the driver's eyes on the road ahead and present information in a non-distracting way, we can help drivers make better decisions in the most demanding and congested driving environments."

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