Today’s military uses some of the world’s most advanced technology. Nightvision helps
soldiers maneuver safely in the dark. Global positioning satellites guide tanks down roads
their commanders have never seen. Many of these technologies are now being applied to
passenger vehicles. High-tech headlights allow drivers to see animals or anything that may
enter the road surface at night. Any warm object, such as a person, is also picked up by an
infrared system.
Another technology headed for consumer use is called HUD, or head up
display. Originally developed for tactical aircraft, HUD allows drivers to keep their focus
on the road without having to look down to find vital information on the dashboard. Still
another military technology, radar, is being incorporated into advanced cruise-control
systems.
These systems identify other vehicles or objects in your vehicle’s path and, in
some cases, can brake your vehicle when approaching a slower moving vehicle. In-vehicle
navigation systems, which rely on global positioning system technology, can be found on
dozens of today’s car, truck and SUV models.
