I have seen more and more cars recently that have the corresponding turn signal flash on the side mirrors. How old is this concept… what was the first make and model to do this?
What is the reason for this? Is it soley for the ‘Blind Spot’ ? Cant we just invent a better mirror… discover a better angle?
The Volkswagen Beetles of the early 1950’s (?) had little turn-signal flags that popped out just behind the side doors, but I don’t think they lit up. Great big trucks have used mirror mounted signals for a long time, but I have the impression it’s an aftermarket thing, not standard equipment.
The cars I refer to have the signals built in. While not ‘seamless’ the placement is embedded to the point that you know it was the car designer’s design all along. Like I said, these cars are new, or look really really clean, and I have just recently seen them for the first time. I would Assume 2004 model cars are the first to do this, as cars are a year ahead, and I have not seen this before late summer.
These appeared first on large vehicles - pickups and SUVs. They do have a large blind spot, so it was a logical addition. IIRC the first model year that these were available was 2002.
More vehicles have been adding these, and the forms vary. The original version (in Ford SUVs) was a red LED arrow on the end of the sideview mirror. These were an option, and not very many people opted for it. Now several companies are putting orange lights on the bottom/rear of the mirror. These are becoming standard equipment and more visible recently.
IMO these lights do more to prevent accidents than the mandatory high-mounted brake lights that were required from 1986 onward.
On ordinary sedans Mercedes was first and it goes back 3-4 years. I’ve just checked their website, but couldn’t find anything definite.