Heads Up Display and Polarized Sunglasses

[gqgambler]

Originally Posted by gqgambler

Surprisingly I usually don't drive with sunglasses, but always have them in the car (usually non-polarized pairs in case someone breaks into my car). I just picked up a new pair, Polarized Ray Bans which washed out the HUD. Turning up the brightness didn't help, but on darker backgrounds (dark colored cars, black asphalt) it was a tad bit more visible with my head in the perfect spot. I have two pairs of polarized Oakleys (normally reserved for sports activities) I will try out and report back. As well as Ray Bans with a newer polarized technology they call "chromance".

Tried out a pair of Oakley polarized with the same result.

[BimmerTy]

Guys I have a fix!

I just had both windshields in my X5 and Yukon tinted yesterday. X5 is 50% and Yukon is 80%. Both Ceramic FormulaOne Llumar. Both have HUD and I could barely see it while wearing polarized sunglasses before the tint. Now on both vehicles I can see the HUD while wearing polarized shades! Same brightness as wearing non-polarized. Now I just have to figure out how to pass inspection.. My local indy shop should do the trick.

[Violator]

Originally Posted by BimmerTy

Guys I have a fix!

I just had both windshields in my X5 and Yukon tinted yesterday. X5 is 50% and Yukon is 80%. Both Ceramic FormulaOne Llumar. Both have HUD and I could barely see it while wearing polarized sunglasses before the tint. Now on both vehicles I can see the HUD while wearing polarized shades! Same brightness as wearing non-polarized. Now I just have to figure out how to pass inspection.. My local indy shop should do the trick.

Interesting. I have my windshield tinted with 70% Suntek CIR ceramic and still have issues with polarized lenses. Maybe the darker tint is the key?
I’m good though, I purchased some new Ray Ban glasses with non-polarized lenses, problem solved.

[Chigger]

Wow, I didn't know there is a thread about this. Always hated when I wear my Ray Bans and can't see the HUD readings... good to know!

[artem123]

Physics is full of interesting things)

[unluky]

Originally Posted by Violator

Interesting. I have my windshield tinted with 70% Suntek CIR ceramic and still have issues with polarized lenses. Maybe the darker tint is the key?
I’m good though, I purchased some new Ray Ban glasses with non-polarized lenses, problem solved.

I wonder if the tint is polarized as well and it makes a difference how it is applied??? Like your glasses are horizontal and the tint is applied vertical do they cancel each other out? Same way tilting your head lets you read it with the glasses on?

Very weird.

[4lex]

This seems like such an obvious design problem, the display is set 45 degrees wrong surely. My laptop for example i can use with sunnies either landscape or portrait, but not at 45deg rotation.
Has anyone had the screen apart to inspect if it's possible to just rotate the polarising bit? Recall as kids we'd reverse the LCDs in our calculators to show white digits on black

[suitedcboy]

I have polarized sunglasses of many makes. I have had several cars of different brands with HUD and universally the HUD was not usable with sunglasses. I got much less costly low brand pair just for the car and for pumping fuel and my life is way better.

[XxBBVTMxX]

I only use HUD at night. Polarized glasses during the day.

[Qsilver7]

One could always trade in for a Buick where the HUD is a small screen you can raise/lower out of the top of the binnicle…it’s probably easy to wear polarized sun glasses and just peer over the top of them to look at the small HUD sticking up.

Click link to see video:
https://www.buick.com/discover/conne...ads-up-display

[Maverik259]

I have had bmw hud on 2 cars over 6 years and wear polarized every day and do just fine. Maybe having the glass tinted helps by reducing the glare. It’s not perfect mind you but definitely usable.

[jab23]

Funny timing on this. I went to get coffee the day before Christmas and my HUD was dead. I drove for a second, stopped at the end of my street and turned the car off and re-started. Still nothing. It's been wildly cold here so I thought maybe that caused something. Then my seatbelt chime started going off even though my seatbelt was fastened. Great....more electrical issues. Pulled over a short time later and took off the sweet, new Maui Jim sunglasses my wife gave me that morning. It's a Christmas miracle! The HUD is fixed! Now what's up with the seat belt chime....oh, wait a second....I have a package in the passenger seat. Put that on floor....no more chime. Felt like a dummy all around, but had to chuckle.

Bummed about the sun glasses as I reference the HUD quite often. At least I learned about the head tilt, which I tried this morning. Works great. I just look like a confused dog.

[OysterD]

I found you can reduce the need to tilt your head ever so slightly by going into settings and finding the HUD options. Change the brightness to full and you can change the angle of the image on the front screen a little which does help. Still not perfect but better!

[Vivek.]

Originally Posted by jab23

Funny timing on this. I went to get coffee the day before Christmas and my HUD was dead. I drove for a second, stopped at the end of my street and turned the car off and re-started. Still nothing. It's been wildly cold here so I thought maybe that caused something. Then my seatbelt chime started going off even though my seatbelt was fastened. Great....more electrical issues. Pulled over a short time later and took off the sweet, new Maui Jim sunglasses my wife gave me that morning. It's a Christmas miracle! The HUD is fixed! Now what's up with the seat belt chime....oh, wait a second....I have a package in the passenger seat. Put that on floor....no more chime. Felt like a dummy all around, but had to chuckle.

Bummed about the sun glasses as I reference the HUD quite often. At least I learned about the head tilt, which I tried this morning. Works great. I just look like a confused dog.

The seat occupancy sensors are too damn sensitive. It goes off with my laptop on the passenger seat, it weighs 3lbs

[yikes98]

Originally Posted by artem123

Physics is full of interesting things)

And that is why I never fly with polarized sunglasses in a cockpit. D'oh! Anytime you are not using old school steam gages, just use non-polarized sunglasses and call it done.

[Vivek.]

I added a 70% tint to my windshield and the HUD went from invisible in the day with polarized ray ban's to easily readable. It's not quite as bright as it could be through the glasses, but it's certainly good enough and I can see the info without tilting my head. The tint is very subtle and not really noticeable from the outside unless you're really looking for it (and comparing to an untinted car side by side)