HUD in cars can be traced back to GM's 'Damsels' in 1958

Head-up displays may seem like a recent innovation. But, surprisingly, the tech can be traced back to an all-female design team in the ‘50s.

If you haven't heard of Harley Earl - one of the most influential automotive designers of the early twentieth century - you might be surprised to hear that he (controversially) ran an all-female team of specialised automotive interior designers in the mid-1950s, often referred to internally as the 'Design Damsels'

Despite the increasing pressure of GM bigshot, Bill Mitchell, planning to ban women from the exterior design studio, Ruth Glennie, one of Earl’s ‘Damsels’, went on to sketch what's likely to be one of the earliest examples of an in-car HUD.

Ruth Glennie can be spotted second from the left. (image credit: cardesignnews.com)

Featuring an angled plate than reflected an illuminated image of the speedometer and tachometer onto the windscreen, Ruth Glennie's innovation was an incredibly simple design that was as practical as it was futuristic.

While the sketch looked feasible (and it wasn't like Chevrolet was short of dough), Ruth’s concept was unfortunately never translated into a car. Concept or otherwise.

Instead of rewriting history and beating the Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme to the HUD landmark in 1988, Ruth and her team were instead limited to simpler ideas in the ‘Fancy Free’ Chevrolet Corvette concept in 1958.

The specialised 'Fancy Free' concept at the 'Feminine Show', an internal show for GM executives and representatives. (image credit: cardesignnews.com)

While they went on to implement the concept car with retractable pneumatic seatbelts, safety lamps in the doors that flashed when open, and season-specific seat covers, Bill Mitchell (Harley Earl's successor and now GM’s Vice President of Styling) went on with his anti-women tirade.

Unfortunately, all but one of the six ‘Damsels’ had their careers at Chevrolet stall as a result.

Wanna know more about the 'Damsels'? Check out the 'Damsels in Design' book review by C. Smith. 

What do you think was the best automotive innovation of the 1950s? Tell us in the comments below.