Drivers usually use in-car displays and portable electronic devices to obtain navigation information. However, the focus transition between near distance and far distance distracts drivers' attention from the driving environment and affects driving safety. With the advancement of automobile intelligence, augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD) projects virtual information to the distance. As a result, the physical driving environment is superimposed with virtual information, which considerably improves driving safety. The present study reviews the development of AR-HUD technology, including single-plane head-up display, multi-plane head-up display, and 3D head-up display. The key optical parameters that evaluate the HUD display is introduced. The working principles, state-of-the-art performances, and critical challenges of various technologies are highlighted. Finally, the potential future development of AR-HUD technology is discussed.