Ferrari is developing an augmented-reality display that would help coach drivers.
As described in a patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on April 2, and originally filed by Ferrari back in March 2021, this display would be projected through lenses attached to a helmet, and show information such as speed, rpm, and the optimal racing line when driving on a track.
Ferrari AR driver assistance system patent image
Instead of just passively showing this information, though, the display would effectively act as an on-track driver-assistance system, suggesting “corrective action” to help drivers go faster, Ferrari states in the application. It would be able to do this by pulling data from the same sensors used for a car’s driver aids, providing drivers with input in near-real time.
The system could also incorporate some environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, or even the height of the curbs and the condition of the pavement at specific tracks, according to Ferrari.
Ferrari AR driver assistance system patent image
Other automakers are also looking at more elaborate projections as an alternative to the screens that are currently taking over car dashboards. A General Motors patent filing detailing a windshield-spanning augmented-reality display recently surfaced. And in an interview at the 2024 New York Auto Show, Nissan design boss Alfonso Albaisa told Motor Authority that windshields will eventually replace screens.
The driver-coaching element described in this patent filing puts a suitably track-oriented spin on augmented reality for Ferrari, though. The automaker seems eager for new ways to increase driver engagement. It’s also filed a patent application for a side exhaust system aimed at producing a better engine note, as well as sound generators to be used on future EVs.