POLARIZATION OPTIMIZED HEADS-UP DISPLAY

An optical system includes a display including an active display region having a maximum lateral dimension D and configured to emit an image for viewing by an eye of a viewer, the active display region including a display center and a predetermined region including the display center, the predetermined region having a largest lateral dimension d, such that d/D≤0.25; a windshield of a vehicle; and an optical film configured to receive the image emitted by the active display region and reflect or transmit at least a portion of the received image toward the windshield, the windshield configured to receive the image reflected or transmitted by the optical film and reflect at least a portion of the received image toward the eye, such that for at least one first location within the predetermined area of the active display region, the emitted image includes a first emitted image cone emitted from the first location, the first emitted image cone including a first emitted central image ray emitted from the first location, wherein the optical film is so oriented as to cause the first emitted central image ray to be substantially polarized in a plane of incidence when incident on the windshield.