The 5 Best Head-Up Displays in Any Car Right Now

Heads-up displays (HUDs) have been around for a long time in the car world. The functionality of these gadgets might vary from one manufacturer to the next, but the main goal is to provide valuable information for the driver while keeping eyes from wandering from the road ahead.

This is why heads-up displays project relevant information onto the windshield in an area easily accessible in the driver's immediate field of view. Today, heads-up displays provide tons of useful information, and some automakers are truly hitting it out of the park with their respective implementations.

1. BMW i7

The BMW i7 is a technological marvel on all fronts, so it's no surprise it features amazing heads-up display technology. Unfortunately, many heads-up displays are simple and limited to showing rudimentary data like MPH, with a basic Ul.

But this isn't the case with BMW's HUD. The i7 projects lots of useful information onto your windshield. It displays the MPH reading and posts the speed limit on the windshield.

BMW knows its customer base very well, and a friendly little reminder in the heads-up display to drive like a reasonable human being is definitely something BMW drivers could use. BMW's head-up display is pretty immersive as well, one of the animations it projects onto the windshield looks like a bird following your steering inputs.

This is one of the nicest head-up displays on the market, and this technology will become even more important as vehicles become equipped with even higher levels of autonomous capabilities.

2. Mercedes-Benz S Class

The Mercedes-Benz S Class has what can only be described as the S Class of head-up displays. If there's anything like too much of a good thing, the S Class's head-up display might just be that.

Most manufacturers implement basic functionality into their head-up displays because one of the main points of a head-up display is to keep the driver's eyes on the road.

But, the augmented reality unit on the S Class is basically a fully-fledged digital display that just so happens to project onto the windshield. The amount of functionality is borderline absurd, and it might even be a bit dangerous because it introduces so much eye candy directly in the driver's field of view.

This head-up display shows obvious things like the vehicle speed, but it also adds augmented reality to "mark" vehicles ahead of you, like a fighter jet locking onto a target.

The Active Lane Keeping Assist graphic is very active or intrusive (depending on how you look at it). It even traces the outer edges of the lanes in red to ensure you don't go over the road. The strangest part is the navigation system with augmented reality; it's just way too distracting.

The directional arrow for navigation floats around with the wheel's movement and then shoots off into the distance when it's time to make a turn.

It's very confusing, but with some improvements, this system can be revolutionary. The best navigation feature is the augmented reality marker that lets you know you've arrived; it serenely floats in front of your destination. Very cool, indeed.

3. C8 Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette has a much simpler heads-up display than the Mercedes-Benz, although this isn't saying much. Basically, any vehicle ever made has a simpler heads-up display than the overkill system on the Benz.

The Corvette is a true sports car that can give even the quickest EVs a run for their money. This is why it's vital that you get the information you need as a driver without unnecessary distractions. In addition, the Corvette features rudimentary controls to adjust the positioning of the HUD on the windshield, which is super useful to get the view tailored to you.

Even though the display is very basic, it does have neat functionality. For example, in its sport mode, the HUD shows the MPH and a G-meter. How cool is that?

Keeping things simple often yields the best results, and the Corvette HUD is proof of this. In an ultra-quick mid-engine sportscar like the C8 Corvette, you don't want to be distracted by gimmicks.

Luckily, the heads-up display on the 'Vette gives you all the relevant info you need without going overboard.

4. Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron

Audi's HUD unit is customizable, and you can dig into its menu section and change everything from the orientation of the image on the windshield to the brightness. You can also turn off the HUD's augmented reality functionality, which some might prefer.

Luckily, Audi's heads-up display packs a lot of functionality into a streamlined user interface that isn't too distracting. The navigation arrow still distracts the driver when it becomes centered and then jumps into the horizon, but the overall design of the UI is less intrusive than the Mercedes one.

The system shows the vehicle speed while you're using the navigation system, as well as a tiny arrow next to the MPH reading, apart from the main augmented reality arrow. It's a nice system, and with subsequent upgrades, it can be great.

The Q4 Sportback e-tron is among the best EV SUVs for sale, and Audi's HUD fits right in with the vehicle's futuristic vibe. The most important thing for automakers to keep in mind with these systems is to keep things simple because a HUD that distracts the driver is counterproductive.

5. Hyundai IONIQ 5

Hyundai's IONIQ 5 features a heads-up display that allows the driver to choose between augmented reality and a simpler projection.

The augmented reality view is pretty standard fare, as it shows a nice graphic that contains the vehicle's current speed and the speed limit information (if available).

Obviously, this view also shows navigation arrows telling you what direction to follow. In addition, the system can be configured in a variety of ways, such as adjusting the height of the heads-up display projection in the settings menu.

You can also control the HUD rotation and the image's overall brightness. Another cool feature is that you can choose what content appears on the display, with the option to turn off traffic signs, blind spot safety information, or the turn-by-turn functionality.

The IONIQ 5 is a car hugely driven by style, so it's refreshing that the heads-up display opts for a more minimalist approach to its design.

Heads-Up Displays Will Become Standard

Heads-up displays seem like the perfect way to interact with a vehicle devoid of a steering wheel. In the future, when most vehicles are completely autonomous, images projected onto glass windows seem like the best way to gather information from your vehicle.

Steering wheels will become obsolete, so the view ahead will be unobstructed by steering devices, which allows tons of information to be displayed on the glass.

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