Springteq WeGo wireless steering-wheel-mounted control unit

So you want that fancy integrated OEM heads-up display (HUD) GPS navigation system you saw in your friend's brand-new BMW, but can't afford to trade in your car just yet? Springteq has the solution: the WeGo all-in-one HUD navigation system.

The first of its kind for the aftermarket, the Springteq WeGo offers a virtual image in a HUD display system using the windshield as the medium, much like standard OEM HUDs. But instead of paying a hefty package price on top of a new car, you can just plug the system into any existing vehicle and go. Thanks to its compact size, it shouldn't take up any more dashboard real estate than a standard screen-based GPS system, and it won't obstruct your view as it hangs from the windshield like many do.

Springteq hopes to tap into the strong safety concern with driver distraction with its WeGo device. The company says over 6 million accidents, 3 million injuries and 40,000 deaths each year are caused by inattention. They argue the WeGo helps guard against inattention by keeping the driver's eyes up and on the road even while looking at the projected navigation instructions.

You can keep your hands on the wheel, too, thanks to the included wireless remote that attaches to the steering wheel.

As the video below demonstrates, the system appears to be fairly colorful and clear, though it's difficult to capture the true nature of a HUD system on film. It's due for release sometime in the fourth quarter of 2010. The price hasn't been announced yet, but we'd expect it to sit near or just above the current top-end of the aftermarket nav players, likely priced between $400-600.

[Springteq via Gizmag]