Automakers Are Getting Rid of Side Mirrors and That’s Great
“Objects in Mirror are Closer than they appear.” I remember reading those words so many times during plenty a car ride when the landscape got boring and nobody was in the mood to talk. As nostalgic as that is, I won’t miss them.
How long will it be until cars don’t come with those stubby little wing-like attachments? I couldn’t tell you, but according to the Globe and Mail their days are definitely numbered.
The technology needed to do away with rear-view mirrors and replace them with cameras isn’t particularly advanced in this day and age, but the feature has yet to become mainstream despite plenty of buzz about it in the past.
It’s a buzzworthy technology thanks to all the improved safety a well designed rear view camera system could afford modern drivers. Not only that, but the technology could work alongside other exciting automotive technologies like assisted parking and semi-autonomous driving.
Instead of mirrors sticking out the side of your car, little thumb-sized cameras will pipe images to screens on the left and right of the dashboard keeping the placement close to where drivers are used to looking for their rear views. The small size of the camera will reduce drag, increasing a vehicle’s overall efficiency as well.
The cameras will be able to adjust its sensitivity to light in order to take clear pictures whether it’s nighttime or the glare of direct sunlight. The goal is to make it so that no matter what’s going on behind you, you’ll be able to see it.
As with any new automotive tech, it’s highly likely that side cameras will have an impact on a car’s safety rating and subsequently its auto insurance premiums. While safer cars generally mean lower premiums, cars with cutting-edge features are likely more valuable and more attractive to thieves which may swing premiums in the other direction. It’s impossible to say just what will happen, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re in the market for a new teched-out car this year.