Heads-up displays (HUDs) in cars and trucks are an example of one of today’s most exciting augmented technologies (ARs) being used to help make everyday driving safer.
Safety’s paramount whenever you’re behind the wheel, and taking your eyes even momentarily off the road to check head-down displays (HDDs) like gauges or GPS headings can have tragic consequences. To put that into perspective, at 100km/h, your vehicle will travel the length of nearly 3 tennis courts in the 2 seconds needed to check your speedometer and then refocus on the road. That’s almost 60m of valuable stopping distance lost if you needed to react quickly.
For that reason, an aftermarket HUD device is worth considering if your vehicle wasn’t equipped with one from the factory. Fortunately, one of the industry’s most ground-breaking HUD manufacturers is right here in Australia, and their Codebreaker lineup of HUDs is just what you need to stay safe.
Codebreaker Heads-Up Displays Make Driving Safer
Let’s be honest: although there are a lot of aftermarket devices that are designed to make driving more exciting, there aren’t many that tout safety as their prime goal. The Codebreaker lineup of dashboard-mounted OBD2 and GPS heads up display systems does both, and that makes them the perfect choice for moving past a range of problematic visual and cognitive distractions.
With the potential for everything from unexpected pedestrian and vehicle movements, to sudden changes in traffic flows and road conditions to occur without warning, the eyes forward aspect of Codebreaker HUDs is invaluable tools for:
· Keeping as much attention on the road as possible;
· Monitoring real-time vehicle performance without scanning instruments; and,
· Avoiding demerits and costly penalties that could arise from distracted driving.
Make no mistake: distracted driving is a problem in Australia, and Australian road transport regulations are very specific about the restrictions on drivers interacting with handheld mobile devices and GPSs, or engaging in any other non-driving activity that could be a distraction. Even when compared with conventional HDD instrumentation, Codebreaker OBD2 and GPS HUD systems are logical alternatives. They also don’t mirror or connect to any other mobile devices, or bombard you with needless information. They give you only the information you need to operate your vehicle safely because that’s what reducing driver distractions is all about.
Get to Know What Makes Codebreaker HUDs the Best
Compact convenience helps make Codebreaker HUDs the effective, affordable systems they are. Each system consists of a compact, 86mm x 37mm x 16mm heads-up display unit and a reflective windscreen film that your driving information is projected onto. Codebreaker HUDs allow you to position the display unit and the windscreen film precisely where you want them; and by having information projected onto the windscreen at the ideal level, your eyes are able to adapt and refocus quicker than if you were regularly switching between looking at the road and conventional instrumentation.
The standard features for all Codebreaker HUDs include:
· High-quality ABS construction that’s tested to endure dashboard temperatures up to 80°C;
· Driver selectable, or automatically adjusted backlight brightness sensors; and,
· Alarm set-points to notify you if a customized Codebreaker parameter is exceeded.
You just need to decide which Codebreaker HUD is going to give you the right amount of behind-the-wheel information that you need. Once you’ve made your choice though, you’ll quickly see why heads-up displays are such an exciting aftermarket option when it comes to safety.
Simplicity is King With the Codebreaker GPS HUD
The no-nonsense Codebreaker GPS HUD speedometer is a pure acceleration computing receiver that uses a 10FPS dual model GPS module to calculate speed and direction information directly from satellite positioning. It’s the king of straightforward GPS HUDs, and it features:
· GPS speedometer with over-speed alarm;
· Built-in 4-direction compass; and,
· Fatigued driving reminder.
These 12 – 36V units require hard wiring into your vehicle’s power, and are designed to provide acceleration readings that are totally independent of your vehicle’s wheel or tyre size, powertrain changes, or any other modification you’ve made that could impact the accuracy of your factory speedometer. Ideally, the GPS HUD’s systemic independence and minimal-delay speed detection allow you to have the most precise speed information possible at all times. It can even fill in as a reliable substitute if your factory speedometer fails.
The simplicity and millimetric accuracy that comes with these speedometer HUD display units confirm just how focused they are on minimizing driving distractions. However, for drivers who want a little more information about how their vehicle’s performing but still want to keep their eyes on the road as much as possible, there’s a Codebreaker unit for them too.
All the Information You Need With the Codebreaker OBD2 HUD
The plug-and-play Codebreaker OBD2 HUD is built for use with OBD2 and EOBD-compliant vehicles manufactured since 2007, and is designed to pull specific points of OBD2 code directly from your vehicle’s on-board diagnostic port and display it on the windscreen. If you’re a performance enthusiast, these units can give you all the vehicle status information you need, with features that include:
· Speedometer with over-speed alarm;
· Tachometer with RPM alarm;
· Water temperature meter and alarm;
· Voltmeter and alarm; and,
· Fatigued driving reminder.
And while the Codebreaker OBD2 HUD is powered directly from your vehicle’s diagnostic port, it doesn’t interfere with any of its electronic control or management systems. You can even transfer these HUDs between vehicles, ensuring that no matter which of your vehicles you’re driving, you’re always able to keep your driving distractions to an absolute minimum.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, there’s a reason that more car brands are offering HUDs as factory options every year. They’re becoming an increasingly valuable instrument in preventing distracted driving. The key, however, isn’t in from finding new ways to display even more information. It’s in displaying only the information that’s necessary for safe operation.
More than any other aftermarket system available, Codebreaker OBD2 and GPS heads up display systems are designed to ensure that drivers have the information ahead of them that’s vital for the safe, responsible operation of their vehicles. That’s the whole purpose behind HUDs, and no one is more committed to making sure that safety stays at the forefront than Codebreaker.
