If you’ve been paying any attention to the headlines recently, you might think that now is a better time than ever to ditch gas-powered cars in favor of all-electric. But many people who want to buy an electric car often make the mistake of putting the solar-powered cart before the horse. So what should you know before you take the plunge?

Over the past few years, automakers and tech giants have been dumping billions of dollars into making the first true accident-free self-driving car. It’s been a dream for nearly as long as cars have existed: getting in your car, cranking up the tunes, and kicking up your feet as a self-correcting, self-driving computer swivels and swerves effortlessly through traffic better than any human ever could. but how close is that dream to a reality?

In a world full of augmented reality snowboard goggles and Google Glass, it seems only fair that our cars get to enjoy some of the same treatment. Heads-up displays, or “HUDs” as they’re better known, are a new type of add-on for consumer cars that are designed to help keep driver’s eyes where they belong: on the road, and focused forward.