Volvo invests in imaging technology firm

Volvo Cars has announced that it is investing in the optical and imaging technology start-up Spectralics through its venture capital investment arm, Volvo Cars Tech Fund. Volvo expects the investment to give it access to technology that could revolutionise the in-car user experience.

Coming from a background in aerospace technology development, Israel-based Spectralics creates state-of-the-art imaging and optical systems spanning hardware and software, enabling a wide variety of advanced optical capabilities.

One of the company's core solutions is the multi-layered thin combiner which is a new type of thin optics 'film' applicable to see-through surfaces of all shapes and sizes. Integrated into a car's windshield or windows, the technology could be used to overlay imagery on the glass.

Volvo states the technology could create a wide field of view 'heads-up display' that can instill a sense of distance as virtual objects are superimposed onto the real-world environment for a safe and immersive experience. Other potential uses of the technology include advanced filters for various applications, in-cabin sensing, blind-proof front-looking cameras and digital holographic projections.