Rearview mirrors suck. So do sideview mirrors. There are blind spots and the wide angle ones require a warning label.
For a decade I’ve wondered if this type of rearview mirror design would be practical: A flat mirror with wrap-around ends.
I imagine this design providing an undistorted central view about as wide as current mirrors, but with wide-angle coverage on the left and right. Ideally it would provide the driver at least a peripheral image of cars on either side.
I’m sure I’m not the first person to imagine such a thing, so presumably the design wouldn’t work or has some serious drawbacks.
There have been little stick-on wide angle disks available for rearview mirrors, but I don’t like them. They cover part of the flat mirror, the image is tiny, and they seem to have a different focus point than the mirror they’re attached to. You have to stare at them an extra half-second to extract useful information.
So, what are the problems with a flat rearview mirror with small shallow curves on the ends?
The image in the curved part of your proposed mirror would be tiny, just like the tack-on ones you’re complaining about. That’s what happens with a curved mirror.
My older brother had one of these installed in an old Beetle. It worked better than any other set of mirrors I’ve ever seen. He still managed to get a fix-it ticket for not having a right-side door mirror to compensate for his tinted rear windows (mostly because he screamed “pig” at the cop while driving by).
This is true if they’re not adjusted properly, and unfortunately the great majority of folks don’t have them adjusted them properly. However, sideview mirrors can be adjusted to take care of the blind spots, and when so adjusted work quite well. This site explains it pretty well. Google on how to adjust a side view mirror for more.
Adjusting the sideview mirrors correctly is, I submit, easier and more effective than trying to come up with a “does it all” in-the-car rearview mirror. Doesn’t mess up using the sun visors, either.
Well, I was envisioning one piece, instead of having adjustable mirrors on the ends. I can’t say if there would be a functional difference, but mine would be simpler in design, wouldn’t have any gaps, and might be easier for the eye to sweep across.
What I’m thinking of would have a substantial size advantage over stick-on wide angle disks, because there wouldn’t be area wasted on high and low reflection… I don’t need to see the gear shift or the ceiling liner, just the side windows.
The side curves would be closer to (moderately distorted) fun house images, than fish-eye images.
My own side mirrors are adjusted about like that… the driver’s side mirror is angled out enough so that my car’s reflection isn’t in it. And I’ve taught my 16 y.o. daughter to do the same.
But, I’m not promoting a perfect “one mirror to rule them all.” I’m asking about drawbacks to a design my mind keeps thinking would be an improvement.
…and sometimes I’ve only checked the middle mirror and not the side mirrors, because I didn’t think there were any cars within 3 blocks of me. And then Damn Where Did They Come From?!
…and sometimes I miss not having my car visible in the driver’s side mirror. It takes away a point of reference.
I’ve seen a sawtooth design review mirror that goes all the way across the front windshield. It’s composed of several flat segments about 6-8" long arranged in a sawtooth (like this: -[]- where the angled bits are the mirrors). It gave a pretty good field of view, but looked a little funny.
Perhaps this should be a Great Debate, but if you have a car with three functioning properly adjusted mirrors, there should be no blind spot relevant to changing lanes and thus you should never have to take your eyes off the road to check it.
can’t just leave this one to be “good enough” and move on to more pressing matters? isn’t car design a bigger perpetrator of blind spots than mirrors (cite; prius).
What would be really cool is a 3D heads up display (HUD) on your dashboard that would indicate a representation of the surrounding topo and cars/animals/obstructions anywhere near the roadside. Perhaps color coding the surrounding vehicles for proximity and speed.
Don’t those F-22’s have something like this? I wonder how long until it is a $200 add on for new car sales.
Have they built a THEL small enough to fit in the trunk yet? Toss in some threat identification and tracking software, and you’d have a nice little vehicle.
The Infinity EX-35 has 4 wide angle cameras; one on the front, two on the mirrors and one in the back, all pointing down. The images are stitched together in such a way that you get an overhead view of the vehicle and the area near it. Unfortunately it only works out a few feet and only works in reverse.
I learned how to adjust my side mirrors from driving my 1975 Chrysler, which has a non-convex right side mirror. I would just adjust that mirror out, really far. You never could tell what you were seeing in the mirror, but if something was there, you didn’t change lanes.
I keep the side mirrors in my van adjusted out so that when a passing car’s rear bumper disappears from the mirror, the front of the car is already in my peripheral vision while I look at the mirror. The only blind spot is close to the side of the van, which I have no reason to see except when backing up, but then I can turn around or lean closer to the mirror to be sure nothing’s in the way.
I’ve been using one like this for years in my minivan. Can’t imagine why they don’t make these standard equipment in minivans and SUVs. The difference is incredible.
Even with well adjusted mirrors, the shoulder check helps keep you from seeing someone that might be moving into the same spot that you are. It must be done to stay safe. If you are following so close that a quick check is dangerous, then you are tailgaiting.
What I keep envisioning is flat except for maybe the last 1.25" on the ends which are rounded backwards. That way the view is mostly undistorted and objects aren’t closer than they appear.
And, again, I’m really not trying to sell anyone on this idea. My assumption is that if this were practical and useful it would be available. But for 10 years I’ve been looking at my rearview mirror and wondering if it would be better if the ends wrapped around a little.
I’m hoping to put a stake in the heart of this minor obsession.
One thing I have noticed is that you just don’t see mirrors with a mix of flats and curves… except maybe in an amusement park. So there might be production issues.
