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Japan Says Yes To Mirrorless Cars (carscoops.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Last month, Japan became one of the first countries to allow vehicles to use cameras instead of mirrors. "Video mirrors" will no longer be reserved for concept cars. They will likely turn into a huge marketplace for tech businesses and suppliers now that the "Land of the Rising Sun" gave Japanese companies the green light by allowing mirrorless vehicles. While many would argue that glass mirrors work just fine, video mirrors do have some real-world advantages. They can reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency (Warning: source may be paywalled) while improving the looks of a vehicle in the process. In addition, they can capture a wide-angle view that can see blind spots, and they can improve visibility by digitally compensating for glare, darkness or even rainy weather. The first company to supply digital mirrors will be Ichikoh. Their first product will be an interior rear-view mirror named the Smart Rear View Mirror that will enter production on June 28th.

11 of 290 comments (clear)

  1. It's all fun and games by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Until your mirror bluescreens on you....

    Say what you will about oldschool tech but a normal mirror is never going randomly cut out on you. I could see cameras as supplemental but never as an outright replacement.

    1. Re:It's all fun and games by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or hacked:

      "What? Why's there a stripper in the right lane!? Not that it's a bad thing..."

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:It's all fun and games by tomhath · · Score: 5, Insightful

      a normal mirror is never going randomly cut out on you.

      I've had a couple that did randomly cut out on me. While driving down the road the glass just fell off the driver's side mirror. Another time the interior mirror came unglued and dropped off the windshield.

    3. Re:It's all fun and games by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Until your mirror bluescreens on you....

      You have a fallback of looking over your shoulder.

      Say what you will about oldschool tech but a normal mirror is never going randomly cut out on you.

      Except for the blind spots. Rearview cameras are way better than rearview mirrors at avoiding accidents, which is why they will mandatory starting in 2018. Sideview cameras will likely have similar advantages. There may be an occasional accident caused by electronic failure or whatever, but that will likely be swamped by the accidents avoided by the better view.

    4. Re: It's all fun and games by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      How about folding mirrors with a fish eye type lens on the end. Folds for video operation giving all the benefits and folds out if it ever fails allowing 'normal' mirror usage. Or I'm sure someone will invent the mirror equivalent of a donut spare. Something you pull from the trunk and latch on the car in the normal place.

      --
      People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
    5. Re:It's all fun and games by lgw · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Until it explodes with so much force that it sends shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

      I've had that happen! Clipped a misplaced construction barrel at moderate speed, and the glass from the side view mirror exploded into the car (my window was down). Better to have you mirror cut out on you than to have it cut into you!

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    6. Re:It's all fun and games by rtb61 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have had my rear view camera routinely cut out on me. In fact nearly every single fucking day. Reversing down my driveway at certain times of day, means the sun will shine right onto that screen and I see nothing. I ain't quite so bad when it shines onto the camera, you can sort of still see what is happening. Night time with insufficient illumination behind the vehicles, reversing lights are simply not bright enough, is also difficult.

      Could be just becoming a grumpy old dude but I gotta be honest, over the years in the conflict between automated and manual, I have drifted to manual simply because it is far more reliable case in point, you beaut super automated coffee machines versus a French press, that French press has already way outlasted those three previous coffee machines. If manual works and is good enough, stick to it, automating for no advantage whilst it does generate profits for others will cost you more over the long run, far, far more (that French press was way cheaper than any one of the failed coffee machines, let alone all three combined and the coffee tasted better because I go create the exact kind of coffee I felt like at the time).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  2. Re: backup! by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dude we aren't on your lawn....

    --
    People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
  3. Re:Planned obsolescence by Dorianny · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just more subtly planned obsolescence. While mirrors may wear out or break, it is simple enough to make a replacement. When these cameras wear out/break it is going to require a factory to make a replacement.

    I said the same thing when they replaced my trusty hand crank with them fancy electric starters that may wear out or break

  4. I'm all for advancement, but by Urinal+Pube · · Score: 5, Informative

    one of the downsides of rear screens is that your eye has to change its focal distance. With a mirror, your eye is focusing at a true distance of the objects behind you. With a screen, you have to adjust to the distance of the screen. It's minor, but it can fatigue your eyes, and you lose all depth perception. Hopefully the enhanced field of view will outweigh the shortcomings.

  5. Re:$500 mirror by AK+Marc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cheap cell-phone optics are probably cheaper than a side-mirror now. Your costs are not realistic, and quite luddite-driven.

    --
    Learn to love Alaska