Holographic windshield from Hyundai Mobis is a big upgrade for the in-car HUD at CES 2025
Automotive heads-up displays (HUDs) have been around since 1988. and even though they’ve gotten brighter and more colorful over the years, even today’s most sophisticated implementations still seem a bit primitive. But after seeing Hyundai Mobis (which makes auto parts for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis) call the world’s first full windshield holographic display at CES 2025, I felt like I was watching a major evolution of in-car infotainment.
Unlike traditional reflective HUDs, the Hyundai Mobis Holographic Windshield Display (HWD) consists of two main components: a projector (or in this case multiple projectors) hidden under the dashboard and a special optical film with a carefully tuned sensitivity to the length of the wave built inside the windshield itself. This combination allows the HWD to pump out brighter and more colorful images with much shallower viewing angles. Unless you’re sitting in the right seat, you may not see the HUD at all.
On the Hyundai Mobis Kia EV9 demo car, HWD isn’t limited to just a small corner at the bottom of the windshield. Instead, it is divided into three different zones that span the entire width of the car: two for the driver and one dedicated to the passenger. For the driver, the HWD can display essentials such as vehicle speed, directions, and more. But where things get interesting is when it displays holographic 3D maps that can adjust in real-time based on your position, adding a whole new dimension to helping you get to your destination.
For passengers, their dedicated HWD section can be used independently to check vehicle information or simply watch a video or play games. Critically, due to the limited viewing angles of Hyundai Mobis technology, the driver cannot see the passenger side of the HWD, so there is no risk of distraction. The whole system is pretty impressive because so much of the technology is hidden under the dash. The only evidence that this HWD is different from more traditional designs is that if you look very closely at the windshield when it’s off, you can see a faint outline where the optical film is sandwiched between the glass.
After viewing the Hyundai Mobis demo, I also had the opportunity to speak with one of the engineers behind HWD, Dr. Minho Shin, who added further context and insight into the technology. Through an interpreter, Dr. Shin told me that the company envisions its HWD as a way to extend the primary display found in most modern cars, which will likely serve as the main control center for manipulating what you see on the windshield. And for passengers, it’s possible to control what they see on their side of the HWD simply by streaming content from their phones. In addition, the placement and size of the holographic display makes it easier for the driver to see and interact with useful tools such as 3D maps in real time compared to current technologies. Dr. Shin even said it’s possible to create a version of the HWD that covers both the full width and vertical height of the windshield, which looks like something straight out of every sci-fi or cyberpunk movie ever made. However, due to laws in many countries, this kind of functionality is not widely allowed.
Now, we should mention that at CES 2025, BMW demonstrated similar technology with its . The Bavarian automaker’s approach may be a bit more advanced, at least when it comes to integration into its existing infotainment system and its availability, which is scheduled to arrive in all new models by the end of 2025. However, when you take a closer look, it almost looks like BMW is cheating a bit by using a black film that runs along the bottom of the windshield instead of being completely transparent like the HWD, which could give the Hyundai Mobi technology a significant boost improve driver visibility and awareness.
While BMW’s panoramic HUD is slated to arrive first, Hyundai Mobis won’t be far behind as the company hopes to have its HWD in production by the end of 2026.
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