Volvo has invested in the optical and imaging technology start-up Spectralics. The investment gives Volvo Cars access to display technology at an early stage of development that could contribute to making cars safer and improve the in-car user experience.
Coming from a background in aerospace technology development, Israel-based Spectralics creates imaging and optical infrastructure spanning materials, hardware and software, enabling a wide variety of advanced optical capabilities.
One of the company’s core solutions is the multi-layered thin combiner (MLTC) which is a new type of thin optics ‘film’ applicable to see-through surfaces of all shapes and sizes. Integrated into a car’s windshield or windows, the technology could be used to overlay imagery on the glass.
In a windshield configuration, the technology could create a wide field of view ‘heads-up display’ that can instill a sense of distance as virtual objects are superimposed onto the real-world environment for a safe and immersive experience.
Other potential uses of the technology include advanced filters for various applications, in-cabin sensing, blind-proof front-looking cameras and digital holographic projections.