Project Titan Update: Apple Developing AR Displays For Autonomous Car

Apple could be working on AR displays for its upcoming autonomous cars. A patent application by the Cupertino giant reveals details about an AR system that’s designed to present 3D models of the road ahead on the windshield.

Apple Insider reported Thursday that it has spotted a new patent application by Apple, entitled “Adaptive Vehicle Augmented Reality Display Using Stereographic Imagery.” In the documentation that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published late last week, it is stated there that Apple is thinking of an AR system that generates imagery of sceneries based on a pre-generated 3D model of the world.

According to the Apple-centric news site, the patent could be hinting at an AR display for the upcoming Project Titan car. The possible purpose of having the AR system around is to provide the autonomous vehicle with information about the road ahead, including things that may be out of the driver’s vision.

Basically, the AR system will generate 3D content of the outside environment for its users. However, it would also use a pre-generated 3D model of the world from Apple. This way no detail about a certain path is missed. This would then be useful to drivers who are heading to distant places.

The pre-generated 3D model will already include road routes, points of interest and other data that would be useful to drivers. The data in this model is collected and stored in a similar fashion as online mapping services. Thus, the system would present relevant sections of the 3D model when needed by the car depending on its location.

The AR system could combine the pre-generated 3D model with the data collected by the Project Titan vehicle’s LIDAR sensors. The system is then responsible for presenting accurate information about roads to the driver and passengers via the vehicle’s windshield.

Meanwhile, IBTimes learned of a different Project Titan patent earlier this week. Entitled “Energy Absorbing Assembly,” the patent detailed how Apple is finding ways to ensure the safety of the people inside its upcoming autonomous vehicle. One idea presented has to do with deformable energy-absorbing structures or structures inside the car that can deform in a controlled manner and absorb the energy of the impact of a collision.

As more patents related to Project Titan surface, the anticipation for Apple’s car becomes stronger. Nevertheless, Apple remains secretive about the progress of the project and the launch date of its autonomous vehicle. Last month, Apple was given permits to test a total of 45 self-driving cars on public roads in California. Last year, it was only allowed to test three cars on the road. The huge jump could be indicative of the pace of development of Apple’s Project Titan.