Hyundai's eye-tracking tech

It was one of the biggest stars of the Detroit Motor Show, but this futuristic HCD 14 concept from Hyundai is actually a car you’d want to live with, and drive.

The HCD 14 (the CD stands for Californian design) is a love it or hate it concept in terms of exterior design, with a nose that looks like a futuristic block of flats and a lot of Audi A7 going on elsewhere.

Apparently it gives hints of the coupe/sedan look the next Genesis will have, something that should be of interest to Australians now that the big rear-wheel-drive sports car is finally coming down under.

The cool stuff about this car is all on the inside, though.

The designers wanted to reduce dash clutter and come up with a method of interaction based on human communication, using your eyes and your hands, as well as your voice.

The HCD 14 features eye-tracking technology, which allows you to open various functions just by looking at them on the heads-up display. The menus can then be scrolled through and selected by waving your hands in the air.

Italians will love it.

"We're using cameras that can read your eye movements and even fine finger movements, you can turn up the volume just by making a rotating movement in the air with your hands," says John Krsteski, one of the car's designers.

"We think it improves safety, giving you more time to focus on the road. Fewer touch points also means a cleaner interior."

The technology is "production feasible" and, after watching it at work, we can tell you it's pretty damn impressive too. Don't expect to see it in cars for at least five years, though.