In one of our recent blog posts, we talked about a new safety feature that was gaining popularity in upscale cars: Head-up displays. While experts are split as to how head-up displays will impact car accidents, advertisers see them as an opportunity to reach new customers. If they get their way, head-up displays will likely become far more distracting than they should be.
Head-Up Displays
A head-up display is a new safety feature on upscale vehicles. It projects important information about your car and your surroundings on the inside of your windshield. This allows you to see things like your speed without having to glance down at your dashboard. Additionally, many head-up displays use sensors on the outside of your car to detect other risks, as well, like pedestrians or a braking vehicle in front of you.
Car manufacturers claim that these devices will prevent car accidents. However, some safety experts worry that all of the information in head-up displays will just distract drivers even more, causing more crashes than before.
Advertisers Eyeing Head-Up Displays, Too
The safety value of head-up displays is still unclear, and will largely depend on how well they are used. However, the fact that advertisers are itching to be involved is worrying.
“Owning the inside of the car is critical,” John Butler, an intelligence analyst at Bloomberg, said. “It’s really where the money is made. The real value is locked up in the ad opportunity.”
Advertisers see head-up displays as a billboard on the inside of your windshield where they can put targeted ads. For example, the instant your car’s gas light turns on, the head-up display can tap into your current location and give you an advertisement for the nearest several gas stations, their prices, and any specials they have. Your car’s location can even be used to give advertisers an idea of where you shop, providing the data they need to further focus their ad campaigns for you. Floods of advertisements for nearby restaurants at noon and 6pm are far from impossible.
These advertisements would add nothing to the safety aspects of a head-up display, and would be incredibly distracting. If done poorly, they would contribute nothing to the safety of drivers, and would only increase the number of car accidents on our roads, 18% of which are already caused by distracted drivers.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Distractions on the road can quickly cause a serious car accident and lead to a severe personal injury. While head-up displays have the potential to be one of the most significant safety inventions in years, they also have the potential to create even more distractions than before. This is why the car accident and personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office are closely watching developments in head-up technology.
The fact that advertisers want to get involved in their implementation is worrying. It signifies a willingness to sacrifice your safety for their profit.
The attorneys at the Smith Law Office in St. Joseph provide legal representation to those who have been involved in car accidents, including those that were created by drivers who were distracted. If you’ve been hurt by a distracted driver, you deserve to be compensated. Contact us online or at (816) 875-9373.