Rear-view mirrors set to disappear

Petec said:
I have lost count of the number of times, I have been stopped at a red traffic light and looking in my rear view mirror, I see yet another piece of useless waste oxygen, bearing down on the back of my vehicle, because they are engrossed in the cell phone they have stuck in their face.
No worries, I can gauge their speed and either I roll a bit forward, or I get the hell out of there if I am able. I have avoided a hellofa lot of accidents like this. Rear view mirrors work.
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Did you read the piece?
 
Following right after indicators... most of the newer more expensive cars don't have them, seems the greater the price, the less the need for them.
 
Skerminkel said:
Did you read the piece?
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*sigh*

Yes I did...

"Mirrors, fixed to the ceiling or dashboard, or outside on the door or front wing, have continued little changed into the digital age"
This article references all rear view mirrors, inside and exterior

"Most drivers take the car rear-view mirror for granted"
I don't... As explained in my post.

"But camera-based rear-view technologies are now arriving for everyday driving"
My trusty piece of glass does the job. I have never had a rear view mirror fail on me, as it's not dependent on electronics.

"The futuristic, fuel-sipping XL1 made by Volkswagen has no outside rear-view mirrors at all – in order to enhance its aerodynamics. Cameras take over their role.
Electric carmaker Tesla unveiled a concept in 2012 that was devoid of bodywork mirrors, just as Porsche omits them from its Panamera Sport Turismo. The 918 Spyder supercar also dispensed with mirrors."
Got years of driving habit to break, to go from rearward mirror glancing and blindspot checking, to rather look at a display screen/s on the dashboard.

And from this thread:
"The idea of taking your eyes off the direction you're headed at great speed to look behind you is very daft. "
As stated in my post, yes my rear view mirror has helped me at slow to near stopped speeds. Let me now add that it has also helped me avoid accidents, when on the highway, traveling at high speed.

Yes this article is about how active displays and cameras are replacing traditional glass. That is my primary issue as glass is pretty infallible.
Buuuuut another issue is that glancing rearward is now deemed old school and dangerous, and thus the soon to be proliferation of HUD's on the windshields etc. This had been proven to increase distraction etc so this is not something that should be jumped on at the expense of traditional driving skills and habits.
 
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while the law may say there HAS TO BE 2 outside mirrors, i doubt it says what size, no?
then they can put two tiny mirrors outside the doors, size of blind spot mirrors, next to the cameras pointing outside.
serves as failover, and covers the requirement :-)
i kinda like these round blind spot mirrors, that show the ground as well, makes easier see where you are in the parking lines, without having to look around
 
CeeBee said:
while the law may say there HAS TO BE 2 outside mirrors, i doubt it says what size, no?
then they can put two tiny mirrors outside the doors, size of blind spot mirrors, next to the cameras pointing outside.
serves as failover, and covers the requirement :-)
i kinda like these round blind spot mirrors, that show the ground as well, makes easier see where you are in the parking lines, without having to look around
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I don't think it is quite that easy, these laws usually require a certain percentage field of view for each sector around the vehicle. So the mirror would have to show you a large enough area to comply with the regulations.
 
I think what this article is really trying to highlight, is not that technology is replacing traditional driving aids, it's about how both law and driving habits are still stuck in the 1920's.

Technology has successfully replaced and added many driving aids that we now consider indispensable. I don't see why something that could further aid driver safety should be questioned because of silly issues such as reliability.

I'd much prefer a more accurate camera system in place than a rear view mirror. And I say this as someone who finds all vehicular mirrors as vital driving aids.
 
One thing I must say appears to work really well for a person such as myself on a motorcycle every day is that red light that goes on in Mercedes mirrors when there is a vehicle next to them (in their blind spot).

I see them light up all the time and they seem supremely sensitive which is a very good thing. Also haven't had one instance of one of those cars almost taking me out either.
 
I'm just too used to using the mirrors. Driving a big bakkie is use it for everything. It would be damn hard to move to something else :o
 
I don't think it will go away - but with semi-autonomous cars, it will be used less and less.
Granted - I don't think I'll ever be too comfortable with that.
Imagine some genius fits a new gadget to his car that jams traffic cameras, but unknown to him it also blocks most collision sensors in the cars around him too.

Stranger things have happened. Truck driver has GPS jammer, accidentally jams Newark airport
 
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