CES 2022: Phiar, Qualcomm Bringing Computer Vision to Inside the Car

Augmented Reality is moving to inside the car as a driver aid.

At CES this week, Phiar Technologies announced it is working to “transform the automotive cockpit” by adding its augmented reality (AR) navigation capabilities to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon automotive cockpit platform.

“It’s all about providing when a driver needs to take an action,” Gene Karshenboym, CEO of Phiar Technologies, said at the Phiar Display at CES.

Karshenboym previously was the leader of Android’s automotive hardware platforms, effectively the leader of Android Auto.

The Phiar system requires the use of only one camera to capture images for its spatial artificial intelligence (AI) engine. It then transforms the information into intelligent AR heads-up display (HUD) navigation.

“We’re dedicated to delivering drivers an AR navigation experience either on HUD or video screen that is unparalleled because they see intelligent navigation guidance in real-time for more intuitive driving, without the need to look at a map,” said Karshenboym.

The Phiar technology is being marketed to manufacturers to incorporate into vehicles as part of the automotive ecosystem. Consumers are not likely to see the actual systems in operation until 2024, according to Karshenboym.

“There is a growing expectation among consumers and automakers for sophisticated and truly connected digital cockpit solutions,” said Bill Pinnell, vice president, product management, automotive, Qualcomm Technologies.

Phiar investors include State Farm Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, The Venture Reality Fund, GFR Fund, Cambridge Mobile Telematics and Telenav.