ABI Research of Oyster Bay, N.Y., predicts that automotive head-up displays will be a $400 million market by 2012. Whereas conventional displays force drivers to look away from the road, head-up displays provide information or entertainment in their line of sight. Although head-up displays have been around since the 1980s, they have not enticed consumers because of their technical limitations. However, solid-state electronics and other technologies new to head-up displays are expected to change that.