New Lexus LS has the world's largest head-up display

Thanks to Japanese components supplier Denso, the new 2018 Lexus LS is equipped with the world’s largest head-up display (HUD). The system projects information across a whopping 24-inch projection, which ‘virtually’ appears three metres ahead of the car.

The system is made from thin-film transistor (TFT) and liquid-crystal display tech, and is so feature-packed, Denso’s actually describing it as a full human-machine interface (HMI).

Not only can the 24-inch HUD show basic data such as vehicle speed and local speed limits, it cleverly can also show where pedestrians are located using data from external sensors: the image above shows icons pinpointing exactly where the pedestrian is walking.

When combined with sat nav data, it will display an arrow over the lane the driver should be in, and provide augmented reality (AR) style guidance at junctions and intersections.

It will smartly reconfigure as well, ensuring information is presented as clearly and logically as possible – the reconfiguration even stretches to the colours used. Denso says the display itself is also brighter than most other HUDs, so it’s easier to use in bright sunlight.

The firm believes HUDs will become a key safety feature of the future, due to their ability to project vital information right into the sightline of the driver. When combined with information from external sensors and other feeds, Denso says the HUD will be a core part of its policy envisioning, by 2030, “a society free from traffic accidents”.