2010 Prius picture - What could this be?

Now wouldn't that be sweet!

It would make sense with the MFD moved lower and most definitely not in the
line of sight when driving.

I guess it would be too much to ask that there be switchable -- with steering
wheel buttons -- between maybe energy flow info from the Energy Monitor
screen and customizable basic ICE and HV battery info a la ScanGauge.

I suspect that HUD, if offered, would be an option only available on the higher
numbered packages.

We already have a HUD for speed, fuel etc. It's just contained in the dash, not onto the windshield.

That's just a display. A Head Up Display, is defined as a transparent display overlaid where the viewer is typically looking while driving/flying.

From wikipedia
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I think you're probably very far off the mark with this supposition. It looks more to me like the projector system we already have in the Prius from 2004 on.

The display containing your speed, odometer and fuel available is actually down toward the steering assembly in the dash board. It projects an image up to a pair of lens mirrors, and it is through those that we see the display -- thus it LOOKS like our display is there at eye level, however...

Have you noticed the distance at which your eyes have to focus to see the display? And have you noticed the gentle magnification effect that seems to be applied through that lens? The reason it's done this way is so that you have to spend less time changing the focal length of the lenses of your eyes when you switch between looking out at the road ahead and looking in at the speed of your vehicle.

If you go out to your car and lean over the front of the windshield from outside the driver's side of the car, you'll see the exact same rectangle shown here in the picture.

I'll put $5000 it's just that same display we already have in the MkII Prius.

Plus, engineers are still very much in disagreement on head-up displays. The advantage is that you can put the information in the same area (exactly) as the user is looking and at close to the same focal length. The disadvantage is that you're still modifying the driver's perspective of the actual environment, rather than assigning a safe 'neutral' area outside the driver's moving environment for them to look at to check the speed. There are coloration issues, colorblind-friendly issues, contrast issues, etc etc etc...

~ dan ~

Also the VIN plate is clearly visible to the right of the projector cutout.

Sorry guys, my guarantee is 'no head-up display.'

Please inspect this image for clarity:

It sure looks like a HUD to me. I've owned 2 vehicles with HUD and each had a projector slot at the base of the windshield very similar to your picture. This would be a welcome addition to me as I very much liked this feature.

When you compare the photos above with those leaked here earlier, especially the one looking thorugh the RH passenger window, you'll notice there is no display like our current 2nd models - so, what is shown above may very well indded be a HUD.

That's Frickin' Sweet !!!!!!

How does it perform in different lighting conditions?
("surprisingly, fairly well" or "not that great" or ... ?)

Question: isn't the Prius display too large for this? In other words, wouldn't it block too much of your field of vision ? )

I would be very surprised if it were a HUD.

Ever wonder why there aren't a lot of HUDs on cars? Studies have shown HUDs actually distract drivers more than they help and legnthen reaction times. The reason for that is when you're looking out the windshield your eyes are actually focused on the HUD, not whats going on down the road so when something happens that requires your attention you have to refocus before you can react.

HUDs are used on planes because not as much happens in your sightlines you have to react quickly to. Good for planes...not for cars.

It could be a lot of things, could be a HUD, could be a lane departure warning system, could be a sensor for automatic wipers, could be a head position sensor like on the LS460...

head/eye sensor is on the steering wheel in LS... i cant see what this could be but HUD, and I have been in all current toyota vehicles and have never seen such device before.

As to the automatic high beam, i sure hope it will be on Prius as well - it is awesome feature much needed here in europe, however it sensors would not be positioned there, but they would be same sensors that are in the back of the mirror...

I've had HUD in my last crossover and it's plain sweet.
that's exactly the same type of projection area the Buick had.
i'm happy to see Toyota embrace the idea.