Mirrors have been an essential part of the entire functioning of cars. Their positions have changed over the years, but the purpose they serve remains the same. The main aim is to provide the driver with an overview of the surroundings so that they and the other people on the road remain safe. The industry has now shifted its focus towards the camera instead of mirrors to enhance the vision of the driver.
What are digital door mirrors?
These "mirrors" are essentially cameras. These are positioned within a housing unit attached to the door. They provide a live feed of the surroundings and project it onto a side screen that the driver can access. The lenses are fitted deep inside the housing units in order to prevent debris from reaching them, causing loss of vision.
Major advantages of digital door mirrors
- The flexibility of these lenses is one of the best things about them. They change angles according to the sides that they need to focus on. For example, if the driver has the right indicator on, the camera enhances the right-side view.
- The lenses have been designed keeping the "360-degree" vision in mind. That is why these lenses have the ability to switch angles to provide a complete view to the driver.
- These digital mirrors actually require minimal space, which does not block visibility. They reduce blind spots!
- Since the mirrors are so small in size, they help with the overall aerodynamics of the car.
- The reduced amount of drag also ensures that wind noise along with vibration and harshness is reduced significantly.
- One of the main problems with the traditional mirrors is that the visibility decreased significantly during bad weather conditions. These digital door mirrors work well even in bad weather and poor lighting conditions.
- Since the feed will be displayed inside the car, the chances of the driver's view being obstructed due to foggy mirrors are eliminated.
- The digital door mirrors come in handy during parking. They show vehicles that are nearby and expand the field of view of the driver.
- The image that is shown on the screen is free of distortion and fully erect, enhancing the vision of the driver.
Companies employing digital door mirrors
Even though the technology is pretty useful for the customer, companies have not been rushing towards implementing them completely. Experiments have been going on where companies are looking to implement these new mirrors along with the traditional mirrors.
Major companies who have incorporated digital door mirrors in at least one of their models include – Honda with Honda e, Audi with Audi e-Tron SUV and Lexus with the Lexus ES Sedan.
