Image: superimaging.com

An automotive head-up display or automotive heads-up display —also known as a auto-HUD— is any transparent display that presents data in the automobile without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints.

The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view information with the head positioned "up" and looking forward, instead of angled down looking at lower instruments. At this time, there are two different approaches to OEM HUDs in automobiles. The first is to treat the back of the windshield in such a way that an image projected onto it will reflect to the driver. The second is to have a small combiner that is separate from the windshield. Combiners can be retracted.

Timeline

• 1988: General Motors began using head-up displays. Their first HUD units were installed on Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Indy Pace Cars and replicas. Optional HUD units were subsequently offered on the Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix before being more widely available.
• 1989–1994: Nissan offered a head-up display in the Nissan 240SX.
• 1991: Toyota, for the Japanese market only, released a HUD system for the Toyota Crown Majesta.
• 1998: The first color display appeared on the Chevrolet Corvette (C5).
• 2003 : Cadillac introduced a HUD system for the Cadillac XLR.
• 2012: Pioneer Corporation introduced a navigation system that projects a HUD in place of the driver's visor that presents animations of conditions ahead, a form of augmented reality (AR).

These displays are becoming increasingly available in production cars, and usually offer speedometer, tachometer, and navigation system displays.

Night vision information is also displayed via HUD on certain General Motors, Honda, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Other manufactures such as Audi, BMW,Citroën, Nissan, Mazda, Kia, Mercedes and Volvo currently offer some form of HUD system.

Motorcycle helmet HUDs are also commercially available.