It's hard to imagine a visually impared person behind the wheel of a car.But, with researchers working on a technology called 'non-visual interfaces',this far-flung notion could soon be a reality.The National Federation of the Blind, USA, and Virginia Tech are likely to present the prototype of such a car in 2011.

The car will use sensors to guide the visually challenged driver through traffic by transmitting information about his nearby vehicles or objects.Many other innovations will make it easy for him to operate the car.Vibrating gloves, for instance, will help in communicating the necessary information needed to avoid collissions.

Another interface, called AirPix, is a tablet about half the size of a sheet of paper with multiple air holes.Compressed air coming out of it will help inform the driver of his surroundingd, essentially creating a map of the objects around the vehicle.It would show whether there was another vehicle in a nearby lane or an obstruction in the road.

The model to be demonstrated next year will be a modified Ford Escape sports utility vehicle.