After being acquired by Samsung for $8 billion last month, Harman International Industries has recently invested in Navdy, a startup that makes projection displays that sit above and beyond the steering wheel.
According to the startup’s CEO Doug Simpson, his company and Harman will work closely together in order to sell co-branded devices as early as next year.
The hardware developed by Navdy is meant to be placed above the steering wheel, projecting information from the driver’s own smartphone onto a transparent screen, which means the driver can see social media and other updates at a glance.
Currently, the heads-up display sells for $799 and can deliver driving directions, text messages, song titles and alert you about incoming phone calls.
Of course, with Harman being one of the biggest suppliers of infotainment systems to the automotive world, getting a boost from Navdy can benefit them greatly. For example, Harman could push for services such as telling drivers when their cars need to be serviced, which in turn could drive purchases of Harman’s own auto parts according to Autonews.
As of right now, Navdy declined to comment on the size of Harman’s investment. However, the San Francisco company said it has managed to raise a total of $42 million from investors, which include several venture capital firms as well as chip-maker Qualcomm.
