Land Rover realized in order to retain its crown as the creator of the finest off-road cars in the world they need to get creative. And so they did, very much so. They have come up with a new camera-based virtual imaging system which, in effect, makes the front-end of the car invisible (or transparent, to be more precise).

The Invisible Bonnet system features cameras located in the front grille feeding a Head-Up Display system, which then creates an augmented reality view of the terrain ahead and reflects it on the bonnet. This gives you full visibility of what is underneath and in front of the car, with total clarity of otherwise hidden obstacles.

Land Rover’s invisible bonnet system may seem like a gimmick at first, but it is an absolutely ingenious solution to make off-roading a less nerve-racking task. It would be especially useful to Range Rover drivers who definitely have no desire to damage their expensive machines. This is the best use for augmented reality technology we’ve seen so far.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “As our vehicles become more capable and autonomous off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to allow the car to continue to progress, over any terrain. We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Bonnet to give drivers anaugmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of an urban car park.”