Ford Brings Augmented Reality to the 2017 North American International Auto Show

Remember that scene in Back to the Future (of course you do) when Doc and Marty actually go into the future and Michael J. Fox's character gets eaten by a holographic shark? Well, guess what? October 21 2015 has passed, and we still don't have those.

We don't have flying cars or actual hoverboards either, but let's not get lost in too many details. However, I very much prefer this version of the future than the one imagined by the movie's creators, thank you very much, so I'm not complaining.

Besides, we do have virtual reality, and all you need to experience it is your phone and a few pieces of cardboard. But do you know what's better than VR? AR. That's right, augmented reality. That's that bit where the two overlap and you can see things that aren't really there, to give it a definition your grandma would understand.

"Think of augmented reality as the blending of virtual reality with real life," says Garett Carr, Ford global auto shows manager. "It's like having x-ray vision, with the power to take people deeper into our product and technology stories – it feels a little like magic."

If we had x-ray vision, we would definitely look at something other than a Ford EcoSport small SUV, but we guess not ev erybody thinks the same. Ford has prepared three different AR experiences for three of its new products that the 2017 NAIAS visitors will be able to enjoy.

First off is the elusive Ford GT, which will demonstrate its aerodynamics testing by racing through a wind tunnel. The second AR demonstration focuses on the 10-speed automatic transmission found in the new 2018 F-150 pickup truck. Finally, the EcoSport small SUV that's making its US debut will show everyone its insides in a way never before seen.

What we're really hoping for, though, is a way to implement augmented reality into the windshield of a car so that important information would be overlayed with the view outside: no more missing a roundabout exit due to vague navigation directions.

Source: Ford Brings Augmented Reality to the 2017 North American International Auto Show