(Philip Lelyveld comment: Audi-funded researchers are linking 3D projection, GPS, and web search to offer an enlightening riding experience.)

[auto123]

What would you say if your car dealer offered a hologram option instead of the traditional DVD player? Forget about Star Trek – all signs point to the technology becoming a reality sooner than you think.

Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) are working on a system that projects 3D images into the back seat to entertain passengers, who control the action with gestures just like Microsoft’s new Kinect console allows them.

The system can teach kids about their surroundings as they drive along. It can also become a mobile tour guide or provide a virtual office-like environment.

Steffen Walz, director of the RMIT laboratory, said his team is going to build a prototype very soon thanks to the financial support of Audi.

Dr Walz presented the project in Frankfurt last week at the Audi Urban Future Summit. He believes holograms could appear in passenger cars within five years.

See the original post here; http://www.auto123.com/en/news/car-news/in-car-entertainment-goes-3d?artid=136150