Modern-day cars now have more than 100 electronic parts from electric windows and heated seats to all-singing, all-dancing entertainment systems. This may make driving easier for car owners, but as motors become more complicated, the skills required to fix them become more advanced. To tackle this, BMW has designed a pair of augmented reality glasses that show users step-by-step instructions on how to fix an engine, simply by looking at it - and you don't need previous mechanical experience to use them. Scroll down for video . The glasses also show the wearer a picture of the tool needed to carry out the job, pictured in the bottom left-hand corner, and each tool is numbered to make this easier. The list of instructions can also be recalled by pressing the data button, top right . When . a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, a . 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view. The glasses are used to diagnose where the fault is and will take the wearer through step-by-step instructions to fix it. At . each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written . instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses additionally come with headphones that can read the instructions out loud. A . 3D animation will then play to demonstrate to the mechanic how to . remove the relevant part. In the bottom left-hand corner, the glasses also show a . picture of the tool needed to carry out the job. This is because animations shown via the glasses explain exactly how to disassemble car parts, and even which direction to turn a screw, for example. The glasses are part of BMW’s wider Augmented Reality: The Extension of . Reality project and the software includes various makes and models of . BMW cars. It can also be updated as more models are launched. When . a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, while wearing the glasses, a . 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view. The glasses are used to diagnose where the fault is and will take the wearer through step-by-step instructions to fix it. At . each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written . instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses come with headphones that also read the instructions out loud. A . 3D animation will then play to demonstrate how to . remove the relevant part, including which screws to remove, where to . hold the component and how it lifts out, for example. Additionally, . in the bottom left-hand corner, the glasses will show a . picture of the tool needed to carry out the job - and each tool is . numbered to make this easier. The list of instructions can be recalled by pressing the data button. At each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses, pictured, come with headphones that also read the instructions out loud . As . BMW explained: ‘Using augmented reality, the mechanic receives . additional three-dimensional information on the engine he is repairing, . to help him in diagnosing and solving the fault. ‘Apart from the . real environment, he sees virtually animated components, the tools to be . used and hears instruction on each of the working steps through . headphones integrated inside the goggles.’ Although . BMW’s glasses . have been created especially for its service engineers, developers at . augmented reality firm Metaio created a similar app for Google Glass in . September. In 2007, BMW developed its own smartglasses that help mechanics fix cars using augmented reality. When a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, while wearing the glasses, a 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view, pictured . It also shows instructions through the device’s built-in . visor and uses computer models to recognise and overlay the 3D content. Metaio . said it is also working on developing the software to run on other . wearable headsets, including Epson’s Moverio range, and Vuzix models – . both showcased at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Trak Lord from Metaio told BBC Future: 'Say you’re driving down the road, and a light comes on. You can then load up that scenario, based on the symbols, in an app.' 'It could then tell the driver to open the engine [and] simply point their smartphone camera in the general direction of the problem.'
Augmented reality glasses were built to help BMW mechanics fix vehicles .
Mechanic is shown a 3D animated view on top of the original engine view .
Step-by-step instructions and animations are displayed through the visor .
Animations show mechanics which direction to turn a screw, for example .
Glasses can also show which tool the mechanic needs to complete the job .
Modern-day cars now have more than 100 electronic parts from electric windows and heated seats to all-singing, all-dancing entertainment systems. This may make driving easier for car owners, but as motors become more complicated, the skills required to fix them become more advanced. To tackle this, BMW has designed a pair of augmented reality glasses that show users step-by-step instructions on how to fix an engine, simply by looking at it - and you don't need previous mechanical experience to use them. Scroll down for video . The glasses also show the wearer a picture of the tool needed to carry out the job, pictured in the bottom left-hand corner, and each tool is numbered to make this easier. The list of instructions can also be recalled by pressing the data button, top right . When . a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, a . 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view. The glasses are used to diagnose where the fault is and will take the wearer through step-by-step instructions to fix it. At . each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written . instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses additionally come with headphones that can read the instructions out loud. A . 3D animation will then play to demonstrate to the mechanic how to . remove the relevant part. In the bottom left-hand corner, the glasses also show a . picture of the tool needed to carry out the job. This is because animations shown via the glasses explain exactly how to disassemble car parts, and even which direction to turn a screw, for example. The glasses are part of BMW’s wider Augmented Reality: The Extension of . Reality project and the software includes various makes and models of . BMW cars. It can also be updated as more models are launched. When . a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, while wearing the glasses, a . 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view. The glasses are used to diagnose where the fault is and will take the wearer through step-by-step instructions to fix it. At . each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written . instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses come with headphones that also read the instructions out loud. A . 3D animation will then play to demonstrate how to . remove the relevant part, including which screws to remove, where to . hold the component and how it lifts out, for example. Additionally, . in the bottom left-hand corner, the glasses will show a . picture of the tool needed to carry out the job - and each tool is . numbered to make this easier. The list of instructions can be recalled by pressing the data button. At each point, the relevant engine part is highlighted and a written instruction is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. The glasses, pictured, come with headphones that also read the instructions out loud . As . BMW explained: ‘Using augmented reality, the mechanic receives . additional three-dimensional information on the engine he is repairing, . to help him in diagnosing and solving the fault. ‘Apart from the . real environment, he sees virtually animated components, the tools to be . used and hears instruction on each of the working steps through . headphones integrated inside the goggles.’ Although . BMW’s glasses . have been created especially for its service engineers, developers at . augmented reality firm Metaio created a similar app for Google Glass in . September. In 2007, BMW developed its own smartglasses that help mechanics fix cars using augmented reality. When a mechanic looks at the engine of a BMW, while wearing the glasses, a 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view, pictured . It also shows instructions through the device’s built-in . visor and uses computer models to recognise and overlay the 3D content. Metaio . said it is also working on developing the software to run on other . wearable headsets, including Epson’s Moverio range, and Vuzix models – . both showcased at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Trak Lord from Metaio told BBC Future: 'Say you’re driving down the road, and a light comes on. You can then load up that scenario, based on the symbols, in an app.' 'It could then tell the driver to open the engine [and] simply point their smartphone camera in the general direction of the problem.'
picture of the tool needed to carry out the job, at the engine of a BMW, a . 3D colourful display is laid over the top of the original engine view. corner, the glasses also show a . picture of the direction to turn a screw, for example. The reality, the mechanic receives . additional help mechanics fix cars using augmented reality. pictured . It also shows instructions through the