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Small video screens on the dashboard
display views from exterior cameras on a car equipped with a digital mirror
system. From aerodynamic drag to blind spots, engineers have long thought that
side mirrors were imperfect at best. New York Times
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Before engineers dreamed of eliminating drivers in cars, they imagined eliminating the side mirrors. The protuberances are ugly and create aerodynamic drag.
And now, a long-sought solution looks closer to reality, as many automakers demonstrate video systems that replace side mirrors with cameras.
Continental, a major parts and systems supplier to automakers, calls them digital mirrors.
"There's significant noise reduction, and there's potential for CO2 reduction because of reduced drag and improved fuel economy. There's also the increased field of view," said Dean McConnell, director of customer programs for advanced driver assistance systems at Continental.
In a customized Mercedes-Benz CLS, Continental demonstrated how its system will work. Thumb-sized video cameras on the exterior of the car replace the side-mounted mirrors and use interior screens on the left and right side of the dashboard to deliver views of what is next to and behind the car.
The screens are near where drivers normally look to check a mirror, and the camera views are wider than what a physical mirror can provide, eliminating blind spots along the side of the car. The cameras are also helpful in tight parking spots.
"No matter where someone stands behind you, you can see them," said Philipp Hoffmann, BMW's project manager for camera monitor systems, showing an exotic-looking BMW i8 sports car with tiny cameras on stalks instead of side mirrors. Together with a camera just above the rear window, the three views can be displayed on a high-resolution monitor that replaces the rearview mirror. A glance up gives the driver a picture of what is beside and behind the vehicle.
The video
cameras, which can recognize and gauge the speed of objects around the car, can
be tied into automatic braking, parking and collision systems to protect the
driver. The systems
offer several advantages: a more complete view of the landscape and better
vision at night. They will avoid problems of side mirrors which get fogged up
or covered with rain. They will also eliminate the problem of a view blocked by
passengers or tall objects in the back seat.
Because of the potential benefits, other technology
suppliers, like Valeo and Visteon, are also keen on mirrorless systems and hope
that regulations requiring old-fashioned physical mirrors will be amended.BMW will begin road testing of the mirrorless systems in Europe this year, quickly followed by additional testing in Asia.
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| The mirrorless BMW i8. |
From Phys.Org and Tampa Bay
