Garmin today announced a portable head-up display device for smartphone navigation apps that costs $129.99 and can be used in any car.
Called HUD, the device will be available later this summer.
It projects directions from the smartphone to a transparent film on the windshield of a car or onto a reflector lens attached to the HUD device, Garmin said in a statement. The HUD device pairs wirelessly via Bluetooth to iPhones, Android phones or phones running Windows Phone 8.
Garmin said that the HUD can increase safety by lessening driver distraction because a driver sees the directions within his or her line of sight without taking their eyes off the road.
"Head-up displays currently have their place in select high-end cars, but HUD makes this technology available as an aftermarket accessory for any vehicle, at an affordable price," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales, in a statement.
HUD offers such information as turn arrows, distance to the next turn, current speed and speed limit, and estimated time of arrival. It also suggests what lane to use for making the next turn. Traffic delays and upcoming traffic cameras are indicated and the display adjusts its brightness level for use in sunlight or at night.
Spoken turn-by-turn directions can be added to the HUD through a Navigon app or a Garmin StreetPilot app, starting at $29.99 for a regional U.S. map.
