Rear- and side- view mirrors are woefully inadequate when it is imperative to be aware of any and all vehicles near you. It seems no matter how you adjust your mirrors there's always a 'blind spot', which, in extreme situations, could prove deadly.

I propose a windshield, the upper- or lower- portion of which will, with the touch of a steering wheel embedded switch, convert to a mirror reflecting the entire territory around your vehicle.

Not only would the driver have no need to remove his hands from the wheel or his eyes from the road, but lane changes will be much smoother and more efficient.
-- dalziel, Feb 20 2003

related item: panoramic safety mirror http://shop.store.y.../rodi/20vismir.html
20 Feb 03 | Extra wide view rear view mirror claims to eliminate all blind spots. [bristolz, Oct 04 2004]

Electrochromatize it. http://www.toyotagu...m/autelmircomt.html
This will help thumbwax and his little car. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]

What technology will you use to enable this miraculous mirror?
-- bristolz, Feb 20 2003


Actually I don't see it as particularly miraculous. It could be something as simple as a thin reflective plate that retracts into the ceiling or roof of the vehicle. It would provide a wider field of vision than the panoramic mirror mentioned in the link. Also, if there are multiple drivers the mirror would not need to adjusted for each driver.
-- dalziel, Feb 20 2003


Ah, I get it. Thanks for explaining. I remember once seeing this really odd rear view mirror composed of several sections and that spanned very nearly the entire width of the windshield.

One thought about a mirrored surface that conforms to the inside of a windshield: it would be concave and with a COC/focal point that would fall somewhere about the middle of the back seat. Not sure that it would help much. For a wider field of view I think you would need a mirror surface that is convex.
-- bristolz, Feb 20 2003


[dag]: that's exactly the mirror I was remembering.
-- bristolz, Feb 20 2003


Lemme see just how big that SUV with the headlights blasting right through my rear window is... <flick><occupants include elf>AAAAIIIIIEEEEE</occupants include elf></flick>
-- thumbwax, Feb 20 2003


thumbwax - I think the problem in your elf would be solved if dalziel can produce an electrochromatic (self-dimming) wink mirror.
-- Worldgineer, Feb 20 2003


[thumb] shirley thats a vauxhall elf you're driving these days.
-- po, Feb 20 2003


The current design of vehicles would have to radically change in order for this to work. If one were to paint the outside of his or her windshield with mirror paint (to simulate the effect) the only thing visible would be a wide angle view of the dashboard. Only a car with a completely vertical windshield (ie. older Jeeps, Hummer H1) would reflect the rear view to the driver. <dashboard sign> objects in windshield may actually be behind you, depending upon whether or not the Electronic Rearview Windshield is working correctly. </dashboard sign>
-- Cedar Park, Feb 20 2003


How about some sort of projected heads up display that would only take up, say the top eight or nine inches of the windshield.
It wouldn't be a great distraction while driving and could automatically dim when some jerk behind you doesn't realize he's blinding you with his high beams.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 20 2003


How about one small screen connected to a series (3 at most?) of tiny external cameras - think World Series of Poker. They could rotate on 3 to 5 second cycles.
-- Cranor, Dec 12 2003



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