Goodbye to traditional rear-view mirrors: why we will soon carry a camera instead of a mirror in the car

They say that the first mirror in a vehicle dates from 1903 and that its inventor was a woman, Dorothy Levitt, who was also the first female to win a motor racing race. More than a hundred years later and without having undergone substantial changes, the future of the rearview mirror is in question. It seems that the cameras are here to stay.

The most widespread version related to the origin of the rear view mirror says Levitt wrote in his book “The Woman and the Car: A Chatty Little Handbook for the Edwardian Motoriste”: “Women should place a small hand mirror in a proper place of the car and raise it from time to time to be able to look back ”.

Time proved Levitt right and, since then, the rear view mirror is a must-have item to drive, both outside and inside although, it must be said, in Motorpasión they also collected References on the rear view mirror in civilizations as ancient as the Egyptian. Either way, finally the presence of the rear-view mirror is mandatory for driving And, although legally only the one located on the driver’s door and the interior are necessary, it is difficult to understand a current car without this element also on the right door.

The future of the rear view mirror is in question

Despite having become essential in most vehicles (and even recommended in others that generally lack them, such as bicycles) the development that cameras have undergone in recent years and, above all, technical capabilities for real-time reproduction of captured images have allowed the reliable rear-view mirror to be replaced by a camera.

The first model to be launched on the market in which mirrors were replaced by cameras was the Lexus UK in 2018, but this option was relegated to the Japanese market. In Europe, the Audi e-tron was the first vehicle to replace the mirrors with this new system. Since then, we have seen it implemented in other models. First as an alternative to the interior mirror, to choose between the traditional mirror or the screen mode, and later as a replacement for all exterior mirrors, as in the case of the Honda e.

At the moment, this technological leap also represents a risk for the manufacturer, but the advantages of this system are obvious, both in terms of security and energy efficiency.

Why Cameras Are Better Than Mirrors

It is likely that the first thing you think is that a mirror will always be faster and more reliable to consult than a camera. However, data transmission has evolved to such an extent that the delay between the captured image and the displayed image is negligible to the human eye, so in practice, what we see in a mirror and a screen is the same.

Its second great advantage is the ability to adapt to the different traffic situations that the cameras have. A mirror can only be moved mechanically in a very small space while with a camera the angle of view is widened. Using software, the car detects the environment in which it is driving, which allows it to adapt the image displayed to it, closing the angle of view on a highway to gain depth and opening it in an urban environment so that more traffic agents enter. the picture captured.

Another possibility is to add information on the screen. As with rear view cameras with parking aid, having cameras instead of mirrors allows distance guides to be included on the displayed image, making maneuvers much easier.

And all this without forgetting the weather conditions. The cameras that act as mirrors are safeguarded in small plastic pieces. This prevents the image from being distorted by rain, snow or fog. In fact, the high-resolution, high-contrast displays inside will be more reliable in these cases. As a sign of the quality implemented, those of the Audi e-tron mount OLED technology. Also if the sun or some headlights hit the camera directly, as it can adapt the lighting captured, avoiding the dreaded glare.

And to all the above we must add the aerodynamic advantage achieved by eliminating mirrors. Their situation has always been a problem in this regard and with the arrival of the electric car it may be essential to gain efficiency to improve autonomy data. The Audi e-tron, for example, goes from a coefficient of 0.28 Cx to 0.27 Cx. It’s a small advantage, but when you want to get the most out of it, every little victory counts.

And the institutions already see it with good eyes

The implementation and generalization of this new surveillance system obviously had to have the approval of both European and Spanish traffic officers. Overcome this hurdle in 2018one wonders about their possible future support.

Among the ADAS security systems that will be mandatory in 2022 we also find the rear view camera, which significantly reduces the risk of accidents when reversing. A technology very similar to that offered by digital mirrors and that some models implement in their interior mirrors.

But also, the DGT also echoed the advantages provided by these systems a few years ago. In 2015 the first tests with trucks began. Prototypes incorporating three cameras with 360º vision that threw the image to two large screens next to the driver. Among the arguments that the organization supported for its implementation was the improvement in the aerodynamic terrain, a greater angle of vision and, above all, the incorporation of rear images that with traditional mirrors are non-existent, since an interior mirror is useless in this case. The same solution can be obtained by drivers of vans who transport a large load on the back.