Heads up: Ford develops new HUD shift indicator

Ford has tweaked its head-up display technology to alert performance drivers when best to change gear in the heat of battle.

The new feature, available on the forthcoming 392kW Mustang GT350, is programmable, allowing drivers to set their optimum gear change markers that are then projected onto the windscreen, using amber lights that build in different ways as the Mustang reaches its redline.

The new system has three modes: In Tach mode, the amber LEDs light increase from left to right as engine revs build. In Track mode the LEDs light up from the outside to the centre until the whole LED bar flashes at the optimum shift mode, while in Drag mode the driver can set their own shift points.

The thinking behind the HUD shift indicator is to allow drivers to focus on the road or race track, rather than the rev counter, and reduce premature or late shifting in the heat of battle.