One almost-inescapable problem with four-wheel drives (or SUVs, if you’re into the American nomenclature) is their high driving position and generally long bonnet projection, which makes forward visibility a little difficult whether you’re parking in the city or traversing rocky off-road terrain. Land Rover has a great solution to this problem: a heads-up display projecting an under-body, forward-looking view onto the windscreen of your Discovery, making the front of the car effectively invisible.
The British brand’s Transparent Bonnet Concept shows an almost-perfect simulacrum of the terrain in front of the test car in this video; off-roading up a steep, short hill — a dangerous task even for a four-wheel drive with high ground clearance. With the car’s bonnet made see-through, the driver can see what is directly in front of each wheel, avoiding damaging potholes or rocky outcrops. It should make for easier parking in the city, too, as well as avoiding the chance of missing any animal or small children hidden in front of your vehicle. [YouTube]