Going away ... Your side mirrors

In the coming years, the motor vehicle is going to change in a very dramatic way. Some parts have started changing already, such as the substitution of steel body panels for lighter aluminium. 

Others will undergo more significant transformation or be done away with altogether. 

Some old-school drivers are still clinging to some old technology, like manual transmissions, but most features will eventually evolve alongside technological shifts.

The ubiquitous vehicle side mirror could be the next feature to get relegated to the dust bin of history, its demise being overdue since new and better solutions now exist. 

Why is that? Because there’s significant noise reduction, as well as potential for CO2 reduction because of reduced drag and improved fuel economy. More importantly, there’s also the increased field of view that camera-based systems provide.

In a field test for this camera feature, the side mirrors on a Mercedes-Benz CLS were replaced with thumb-sized video cameras that were connected to screens on the left and right side of the dashboard near where a driver would typically glance to check a mirror. 

The camera view turns out to be much broader than what a physical mirror provides and eliminates blind spots. Plus unlike mirrors, cameras and software can also automatically adjust what a driver sees to reduce glare in bright sunlight or increase brightness at night.

Audi AG plans to add a camera-based rear-view mirror to its R8 e-tron coupe that provides drivers with a better view of what’s behind, in part because the aerodynamic design of the vehicle reduces rear visibility. 

Cadillac has just added video camera capability to the review mirror of the 2016 CT6 to eliminate traditional blind spots by seeing through obstructions like passengers, headrests and the vehicle’s rear pillars.

In another example, Honda’s LaneWatch feature uses a camera embedded in the passenger-side exterior mirror to show a wide-angle view on the dashboard display of the right lane whenever the right turn signal is activated. 

LaneWatch also shows when a driver has enough space to merge into the right lane after passing a vehicle by using virtual makers.

Side mirrors may be less expensive and complex than camera-based systems, and now that they also include turn signal markers, blind spot indicators and are heated and electrically foldable, their replacement costs have increased significantly, often costing up to $1,000 or more to replace when broken. 

Furthermore, this technology is rapidly becoming more widespread and available on lower-priced vehicles. 

An entry-level Nissan Versa Note for example can be outfitted with a system that originally debuted on an Infiniti SUV – the Around View Monitor, which uses multiple cameras to give the driver a 360-degree view around the entire car. 

Similarly, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE comes with a Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan that provides not only a rotating, wide-angle, overhead 360-degree view around the vehicle in Moving View mode, but also has a See-Through View that gives a ground-level view as though the vehicle frame were completely transparent.

Besides cost, another major obstacle to the full evolution to camera-based systems is federal regulation in territories like the US, where the Department of Transportation requires that all passenger vehicles have rear-view and side-view mirrors. 

This could change though as research has proven that side mirrors account for 2-7 per cent of a vehicle’s aerodynamic drag, with a negative influence on fuel economy. 

The DOT has already recognised that rear-view cameras, when used with a traditional rear-view mirror, can significantly improve safety and has made them mandatory in cars and light trucks starting in 2018. 

The time would certainly come to ditch side mirrors completely in favour of camera-based technology, and in so doing, provide drivers with a better view, improved safety, and avoid tearing off a side mirror while backing out of a garage or parking space.

To comment, visit Facebook.com/Lokomotion Corner or write to me: skidmax@hotmail.com