The Hud For The Elio

[Rob Croson]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...07_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=XSYYA616880ZEJPWJBTZ&th=1

$8.99 for the film, $12.99 for a two pack of film, or $16.99 for the film with a non-skid mat. Hmmm....

 

[Rob Croson]

Will it reflect on the windshield without needing a sheet of reflective tint?

I haven't tried it on my windshield yet. I should on the way home tonight. From what I understand, without the film you often get a doubled image due to the double-layer safety glass, and the image can be very hard to see during the day. The film is supposed to fix all that by providing a better reflection surface, but still be transparent so you can see through it, though some say it can be a bit dark. that seems to be personal preference, though. I saw one review where the user suggested using tape to make a template on the outside of the windshield to make sure you get it in the right location, and lined up straight.

 

[Ekh]

Well, now it can be told. I have been an "explorer" (aka field tester) for Navdy, and can now talk about it.
The Navdy, overall, does a pretty good job. I does find you, track where you are, give you turn by turn directions to get there. It does play your music via bluetooth to either your stereo or a dedicated speaker. It does handle phone calls.

It supposedly responds by gesture, but that is very limited. Also, it will read text messages to you, which is great, but it will not read emails. Less great.

The screen is, if anything, too bright, and it is very clear. See photo. Theoretically you can over-ride the automatic dimmer which attempts to adjust to every fluctuation in ambient light, but you really can't -- you can set the general range of brightness, but it goes on fluctuating according to its built-in program. They may change that, hopefully soon.

The Navdy works by taking car data from your OBD port and most other functions from your phone -- so you need to keep your phone plugged in, and it's bluetooth function open. It does have onboard maps, so if, once located, you lose your phone's maps, it will keep navigating for you. I don't know if it can still do turn-by-turn, since I haven't had a signal drop that required it to be on its own. At start up, it does need the connection to your phone.

The other reason you need your phone is to enter trip destinations. Once you've figured out where you want to go, the phone sends that to the Navdy, and you're good to go. But it has no direct input of its own, so no phone = no Navdy.

The Navdy has two main choices, both useful. It has a mapping function, which is really very good. It will scale automatically (or you can over ride it with a thumb dial, which comes with the Navdy. It also has a "dashboard" function, which displays your choice of tach or speedo, fuel gauge, and other data. It's not an unlimited choice, but it does work OK. You get a discreet warning if you're over the speed limit, and a bright orange one if you're way over it.

If you're using the dash function while navigating, you will get the ETA and time to go functions displayed in one of the instrument slots. To display something else, just turn the thumb dial.

Now here's the real issue: does it actually reduce distraction? I say yes and no. The thing is so bright that it draws your eye. And despite their claims, it doesn't really focus out over your hood someplace. So your eyes refocus from looking at the traffic in front of you down to the Navdy. It's not like moving your head, but you really can't see the Navdy data and the actual situation well at the same time. Sort of, but not really.

This coupled with the really bright screen (and its fluctuating brightness from shade to sun, or from streetlight to unlighted streets) makes the Navdy more interesting than the ass of the truck in front of you. That's dangerous. Less dangerous than screwing around with your cell phone? Absolutely. But not as safe as just plain driving. Particularly if you're an ADD type like me.

Here's a pic that illustrates what I mean about focus: the Navdy is clear while the background is a bit blurry. (This dumbed-down jpeg doesn't help--- the whole thing is clearer than it appears here. The second picture shows the opposite case BTW, the yellow-green color of the display is an artifact; the eye sees it as a blueish white, with things like tic marks in green and warnings (like the red zone on the tach) in red. Once in a while the camera sees it correctly, but most of the time these color artifacts occur. Has to to with wavelengths of light coming off the prismatic surface of the display vs. the Bayer array in your camera's sensor. Weird.

 

[Coss]

Well that leaves me out; I've shut off data connection unless it's wireless (WIFI)
So good by location and turn by turn.

Speedo; does it get speed by GPS or from OBDII ?

 

[Rob Croson]

Thanks for the info, Ekh.

 

[W. WIllie]

Does it show rpm and speed at the same time? Looks awful small though.

 

[Ekh]

Well that leaves me out; I've shut off data connection unless it's wireless (WIFI)
So good by location and turn by turn.

Speedo; does it get speed by GPS or from OBDII ?

Obd i believe

 

[Coss]

Obd i believe

Are you still testing it?
If so, turn off data on your phone so the only input it's getting is by cable to the OBDII.
Go out and drive around and see what data is still picked up and what is missing.
That will tell us a lot.

 

[Ekh]

The official test period is over but I can certainly do that.

 

[W. WIllie]

If that will pick up a "date", i want one.
Sorry COSS, couldn't help myself.