When people buy the 2016 Audi A7 sedan – list price around $71, 000, they may be introduced to technology they've never seen before in an automobile: sensors that keep the car from drifting, collision avoidance systems, and perhaps the most unfamiliar technology, a head-up display.

"A what?" consumers are asking salesmen at Audi dealerships.

Here's how it works: If you're sitting in the driver's seat, the car's speed will appear about 6 feet beyond the dashboard, actually floating in space and visible to the driver.

The head-up display is the latest application of a technology that has been used by airplane pilots to land and by gamers.

Now, the head-up display, which was mostly found in high-performance cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, is migrating its way to other automobiles, predominantly in high-priced models, and it's reaching a consumer audience who isn't familiar with its features.

Skeptics See Head-Up Displays As Distracting

While automakers believe that the technology makes driving safer because drivers don't have to look down for information, skeptics see head-up displays as yet another source of distraction for the data-overloaded driver.

Since there are no federal standards for head-up displays, safety advocates find that worrisome.

Deborah Hersman, former chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board and president of the National Safety Council says it's like the Wild West in terms of what is being put into cars, and they're concerned because there are no standards.

Though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the practice of issuing guidelines to automakers about driver distraction, there is no federal regulation that governs head-up displays. However, the NHTSA said that it has begun research and expects to provide guidelines at a future date.

Were you injured in an accident as a result of driver distraction? To file a claim for compensation and protect your rights, call a car accident attorney for legal advice.