Navdy Preview – A Heads Up Device for Connected Cars

Who switches off their smart phone while they’re driving? No one right! In fact, just about everyone has sneaked a peek at that new message that just popped up, or the new mail – you know, just for a second, while waiting for traffic to move. Everyone knows it’s not safe, and yet everyone just can’t resist. At least I can’t. Navdy just made life easier for those of us who can’t stay away from their smartphone, even while driving.

I’ve seen Navdy and I’m definitely buying one

Michael Arrington, Founder of TechCrunch

Relevant: Top 10 Connected Car Start-Ups to Watch in 2016

Navdy has come up with what they call a true HUD (Heads Up Device). The idea is to take the focus off the phone while driving, and yet have the convenience of being able to access all the great apps on your phone. By projecting the information directly in front of the driver, Navdy ensures the driver’s eyes never stray away from the street. It doesn’t require a new app or service plan, and the power behind Navdy is a dual core processor running Android.

navdy.com | See alternatives on Amazon

Drive safe, stay connected

With Navdy in your car, you’ll be able to use gestures and voice recognition to answer calls, or open notification. There’s no need to go look up the phone, then access the keypad or touch screen. And best of all, the navigation stays in place even while you’re on a call. Voice recognition will use commands similar to Google voice and Siri, to call someone or send out a tweet. Notifications will be configurable – they can be read aloud, displayed or disabled completely. The device may initially be launched with a handful of navigation and music apps, with plans to integrate other apps in the future. At some stage, there’s even supposed to be parental control to keep kids safe!

The device – what’s it made of

It’s a small black device about the size of your palm, with a thin curved transparent screen on one side, and a smaller opaque screen on the other. It fits smugly on the dashboard and projects information just in front of the driver, as if six feet away. Instead of the more familiar touch screen we’re used to, the display here is actually a 5.1” transparent screen onto which a high quality projector beams the information. An IR camera is used for motion detection for the gesture control. The audio can be routed either via the Bluetooth or 3.5mm minijack. There’s also the internal speaker and microphone that come with a noise cancelling DSP.
See recommended smartwatches on Amazon