Occasionally, I have to drive a car not belonging to me for a short period, I am taller than most people I know, and I find it annoying to be adjusting mirrors when I am only going to be in the car for a short period. However, if I don't adjust the mirrors, I find myself contorting my neck to look in the mirrors. I want to develop a device that, when I start the engine, I hold my head still, press a button, and the device automatically senses my face/head/eyes and adjusts the mirrors.
-- senatorjam, Jul 17 2002

Is this the rear view mirror, the door mirrors, or both ?
-- 8th of 7, Jul 17 2002


For some cars each person has their own key and when their key is placed in the slot the car settings are automatically modified for that person from memory.
-- Aristotle, Jul 17 2002


Sorry guys, its baked. Volvo made a conceptcar recentley called SCC (safety concept car). Among other things, it automatically adjusts seat rake/angle /height (and mirrors I think) using sensors to work out how tall you are and where your eyes are.
-- timo, Jul 17 2002


My eyes are in my face. Where are yours?
-- calum, Jul 17 2002


what is it with my eyes? ("curse you gods for making me this way")...
-- timo, Jul 17 2002


Simpler just to replace each mirror with seven or eight mirrors all preset at different angles, to take care of all possible drivers except those with really rare extremes of height.
-- hob, Jul 17 2002


That'll work - it would be like driving a kaleidoscope.
-- drew, Jul 17 2002


I was guessing - I've never actually driven a kaleidoscope, you understand.
-- drew, Jul 17 2002


Hmmm, sounds downright dangerous to me...
-- timo, Jul 18 2002


Solution, just make the exterior of every vehicle on the road out of mirrors. Buildings too! Mirror coatings for everything. Then there should be enough mirrors around to see everything from every angle. Just don't get into an accident or there may be some bad luck involved. And make sure to wear sunglasses, since the sun will probably always be in your eyes. Seriously though, I'm serious.
-- dag, Jul 18 2002


The energy absorbing properties of the glass would make crashing safer. Well, apart from the face cutting properties of the glass.
-- timo, Jul 18 2002


"The energy absorbing properties of the glass would make crashing safer" - sorry, timo, but I have to point out (because I'm a sad pedantic knowall with no friends) that steel is far more energy-absorbing when it crumples than glass whan it shatters; ductile materials which undergo plastic deformation are better shock absorbers than brittle ones. You're right about the face cutting properties too.

Also: Glass vehicle smashes into glass building = nasty cleanup job for someone.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 18 2002


Sweep up remains, return for deposit.
-- Mr Burns, Jul 18 2002



random, halfbakery