GM files patent application for AR auto-darkening glass

General Motors has filed a patent application for an augmented reality (AR) auto-dimming windshield to protect drivers from the glare of oncoming headlights.

The application, first discovered by Motor1, was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and published on January 17, 2023, and describes a number of additional hardware, including an AR heads-up display, sensors to detect the amount of light illuminating the windshield, and smart glass that can electrically adjust the amount of light transmitted through the windshield It explains that a number of hardware additions have been made, including smart glass that can electrically adjust the amount of light transmitted through the windshield.

If the sensors detect that the light shining in the driver's direction is above a certain threshold, certain areas of the windshield are darkened to prevent the driver from being blinded. The system detects the position of the driver's eyes and the position of the vehicle generating the glare and darkens a portion of the windshield to protect the driver. The system also creates an image of the offending vehicle in the appropriate location on the windshield.

This type of system could be a good defense against other drivers who forget to turn off their high beams, but with the proliferation of automatic high beams on new vehicles, this will become less of a problem over time.

Auto-dimming mirrors are also a common feature in new cars today, but the idea presented in this patent application goes a step further. Rather than targeting specific areas of glare, today's auto-dimming mirrors dim the entire surface.

AR technology means that the auto-dimming feature could be integrated with other features, such as the AR navigation systems found in some Mercedes-Benz luxury cars. These systems project arrows on the heads-up display (and center touchscreen) to guide the driver to his or her destination. Cadillac also has AR, but it is displayed on a digital instrument cluster instead of a heads-up display.

Like other recent GM patents, such as sobriety technology for autonomous vehicles and dual charging ports for EVs, the AR auto-dimming windshield is not guaranteed to be produced. Time will tell if this feature will make it into future GM vehicles, as automakers often patent ideas without a firm plan to commercialize them.