New Technology Advances Will Drive Automotive Head-Up Displays to $400 Million by 2012

The multiplication of features and applications in cars has led to concerns about information overload and distracted drivers. Entertainment choices, as well as status information and navigation instructions, are pulling drivers' attention away from the basic task of driving. One solution is to display key information in the driver's line of sight, reducing the need to look away from the road ahead. According to a new Research Brief from ABI Research, "Head-Up Displays", such head-up display solutions are available in growing numbers, and will comprise a $400 million market by 2012.

The first head-up displays in the 1980s did not wow the consumer as hoped. Limited functionality, lack of clarity, insufficient brightness, and less-than-stellar reliability pushed HUDs down the list of desirable functions.

"Solid state electronics and other technologies new to head-up displays have produced dramatic improvements," said David Alexander, principal analyst at ABI Research. "System developers can now deliver more clarity, more color, and brighter displays. Additional benefits include lower power consumption and less heat generation, which in turn will lead to greater reliability."

New HUD options from BMW and Citroën are expected to generate interest in a market until now dominated by GM, with Toyota and Honda waiting in the wings with their own versions.

Tier One suppliers such as Delphi, Denso, Siemens VDO, and Nippon Seiki will capitalize on this market if they continue to develop attractive HUD solutions for their OEM customers, solutions that require less dashboard real estate without increasing cost. However, ABI Research also examines rapidly maturing technologies from new vendors that will—if they meet rigorous automotive testing standards—challenge the leaders even in this fledgling industry.

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