Raythink, a world-leading ARHUD solutions provider for the automotive and transportation industry, will exhibit a wide range of new products and solutions, including its proprietary OpticalCore® PGU at the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2023) to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from April 18-27. The event will provide an opportunity for Raythink to showcase its strong product innovation and development capabilities. In addition, Raythink will host a press conference on April 19 to launch the world's first augmented reality (AR) head-up display (HUD) with utilizing the OpticalCore® PGU and a world-first wave-layer 3d display technology which can be utilized in AR HUDs and other display solutions. The Wave-Layer 3D Display Technology uses utilizes multiple display stacks to project a fully naked-eye 3D image with depth, delivering a futuristic and better 3D effect to enhance the driving experience.
Raythink's expansive 240-square meter booth will be located at NO.2BA006, Hall 2.2 and will feature AR HUDs at multiple FOVs (10º, 15º, 20º) with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning (LDW), AR navigation, and other assisted driving functions. Two physical vehicles equipped with AR HUDs will also be on display in the exhibition area, alongside a new generation of intelligent cockpits. Visitors can experience the event’s most cutting-edge AR technology, which can identify pedestrians in real time through AR software, perform AR rendering, and ultimately present a glasses-free AR image in front of the driver's eyes.
HUD (head-up display) is a technology that projects important driving information such as speed, navigation and assisted driving applications on to the windshield in front of the driver, allowing the driver to view the information without having to look down or turn one’s head. To truly integrate AR HUD with real scenes, it is necessary to provide a larger field of view (FOV) and a longer virtual image distance (VID). The key to solving this problem lies in the core light source module of the HUD.
Compared with traditional thin-film transistor (TFT) or digital light processing (DLP) solutions, the LBS-based PGU module OpticalCore®, a proprietary Raythink solution, can greatly reduce the cost of HUD and system footprint while increasing FOV, truly achieving a wide-angle large FOV covering three lanes and a higher image contrast without light window effects. The solution delivers superior performance without solar loading while reducing power consumption.
The AR HUD software developed by Raythink is bundled into the AR Generator® software development kit (SDK), allowing for AR display adjustment, AR navigation, LDW, pedestrian collision warning (PCW), forward collision warning (FCW) and other functions powered by artificial intelligence (AI). It also enables customized HUD or AR HUD applications with minimal latency and processing requirements and projects traffic information on to the front windshield in real-time.
Raythink, founded in 2019, has formally entered the mass production phase, marking a significant milestone. In 2021, the company established a lean production line for independent production, and passed ISO9001, IATF16949 and other quality system certifications in April 2022. Raythink then was chosen for a number of designated projects in cooperation with world-renowned Tier 1 manufacturers and brands, leading joint ventures and domestic EV OEMs, and, soon after, successfully delivered its first mass production HUD orders.
This year, Raythink plans to expand its production line to meet the increased demand for AR HUD standard equipment, while continuing to streamline the development and mass production of innovative light sources, as well as develop the next generation of AR HUDs for the digital large-screen immersive displays that will define the cars of the future.
Raythink CEO Ray Lu said smart cars will usher in the third living space era where scenario-based innovation will yield intelligent cockpit solutions that deliver a far superior experience to drivers and passengers. The next step in the century-old automotive industry will lead to digital innovation, creating a display and interaction revolution, while AR HUD will serve as the standard for the next wave of human-machine interaction applications.
Raythink will use AR HUD as a natural in-vehicle human-machine interface to replace the dashboard, redefining the intelligent cockpit with a digital emotional experience that evokes the look and feel of the car of the future.