Using Ansys Optic Studio and SPEOS to Optimize Head-Up Display Design

Task Description

The Optical Design team at Continental set out to develop a Head-Up Display (HUD) that delivers high image quality and driver comfort while meeting space and manufacturing constraints inside the car dashboard. Key challenges included avoiding ghost images, back reflections, and sun glare, as well as ensuring image brightness, homogeneity, and alignment with the virtual environment. The team needed a simulation-driven workflow to handle optical validation and early design optimization before physical prototyping.

Pic. 1: Head-Up Display

Solution

Ansys Optic Studio: Used to define the initial HUD architecture, simulate ray paths, and optimize the layout of the display, folding mirror, aspherical mirror, and windshield.

Ansys SPEOS: Enabled detailed optical simulations to assess image distortion, brightness uniformity, and the impact of surface irregularities.

Sunlight and back reflection simulations were run to determine the required size and placement of glare traps and validate safety across sun positions.

Ansys Virtual Ergonomics: Applied to evaluate how different environmental conditions and seating positions influence perceived image quality and user comfort.

Pic. 2: Optimization loop – back reflections

Benefits

• Reduced risk of ghost images and back reflections by simulating complex ray interactions between internal HUD elements.

   

• Improved brightness homogeneity by over 25%, based on image simulation optimizations across the optical chain.

   

• Shortened development time by 30%, minimizing costly late-stage design iterations and validation cycles.

   

• Validated thermal strain effects under 1000 W/m² direct solar radiation, ensuring mechanical robustness and image integrity.