[Bazinga]

I just came across a video detailing how Gentex, the company GM paired up with to create the mirror, designed the rear view mirror found in the Chevy Bolt.

Pretty interesting to hear that the same system can be used for round view monitoring too. Makes me wonder where else they can apply this technology.

 

[Roth33d]

I doubt there's anywhere else they can apply it to. Closest thing would be the side mirrors but at that point it's too small and too far away, best to just leave it to the one rear view mirror.

Did you have anything else in mind for where it can be applied?

 

[volta]

On Hondas they have side cameras that turn on with the screen in the middle when you put on your signal to give you vision of your blindspot.

 

[Bazinga]

Wouldn't mind having auto dimming side view mirrors because some headlights are blinding at night.

 

[Roth33d]

That is a good idea. Even during the evening as the sun sets that helps since the sun can get right at eye level and its not fun having it reflecting off of mirrors. Easy win for Chevy.

 

[Electric Mike]

That is a good idea. Even during the evening as the sun sets that helps since the sun can get right at eye level and its not fun having it reflecting off of mirrors. Easy win for Chevy.

If you put some tint in your windows and then just tilt them down if its a major issue then that should work. An auto dim would be cool. I've never heard of this before though. Is it out on cars already and how does it work?

 

[LightningBolt]

I found an article about it on autoevolution. It's more than a ;ayer over the mirror, there's a system telling it when to dim and when not to.

 

[Roth33d]

If you put some tint in your windows and then just tilt them down if its a major issue then that should work. An auto dim would be cool. I've never heard of this before though. Is it out on cars already and how does it work?

that's actually a good point and going with something light like a 50% will be great, or 35% for those really needing something that makes a significant difference.

any level of tint you recommend?

 

[volta]

I find that the tint level is often dependent on regulations more than what the customer actually wants.

 

[Roth33d]

I find that the tint level is often dependent on regulations more than what the customer actually wants.

That's only if you want to go with some really dark tint level. Most places allow for up to 35% in the front and what ever you want to do in the rear, even as dark as 5%

 

[Bazinga]

One great thing about the rear view mirror is that you don't need to keep adjusting it for a perfect view of the rear window. If you switch drivers, they just need to adjust it so they can see the mirror clearly.

 

[Roth33d]

That's a very good point which makes this great for growing families since the kids might at times want to borrow the car, or even if its just a couple that lives in the city since these days the need for a car is far less, many more good ways of getting around are available to us.

 

[Zoomit]

I was initially more excited about this mirror than I am now. It certainly has potential but the issue I'm wondering about is how awkward it will be to refocus on the screen verses the exterior view. Your eyes are essentially focused at infinity whenever looking out the window or through any of the 3 normal mirrors. It's only when you look inside the car that your eyes refocus, to read your speed on the instrument cluster for example. Looking at this rearview screen requires your eyes to refocus as well. This may be disconcerting or, as the reviewer put it in this video, creates "cognitive dissonance".

https://youtu.be/ajY1pfrxLDE?t=2m43s

He likes the high resolution of the screen and the ability to look beyond cargo or people. He dislikes having his eyes "adjust" and he "hopes they can solve that." It's of course physically impossible to change the focal distance of a rearview mounted screen. There are some tricks you can do with a HUD screen to extend the focal distance, but not a screen mounted in the rearview mirror position.

 

[Electric Mike]

I was initially more excited about this mirror than I am now. It certainly has potential but the issue I'm wondering about is how awkward it will be to refocus on the screen verses the exterior view. Your eyes are essentially focused at infinity whenever looking out the window or through any of the 3 normal mirrors. It's only when you look inside the car that your eyes refocus, to read your speed on the instrument cluster for example. Looking at this rearview screen requires your eyes to refocus as well. This may be disconcerting or, as the reviewer put it in this video, creates "cognitive dissonance".

https://youtu.be/ajY1pfrxLDE?t=2m43s

He likes the high resolution of the screen and the ability to look beyond cargo or people. He dislikes having his eyes "adjust" and he "hopes they can solve that." It's of course physically impossible to change the focal distance of a rearview mounted screen. There are some tricks you can do with a HUD screen to extend the focal distance, but not a screen mounted in the rearview mirror position.

All this may be true, but it seems like a simple law of nature. I'm also not convinced that a mirror doesn't have exactly the same issue in terms of having to refocus your eyes on an object much closer to you than everything that you are viewing out the front window of your car. They could perhaps adjust the zoom on the picture and that could make a difference. I'm not sure other than that.

 

[Roth33d]

It's things like this that makes me curious about what long term reviews have to say as after a certain amount of time with a car or any product really, you get used to things about it, and what you once were skeptical about, you now accept.

 

[Bazinga]

Make it's just something you have to get used to when changing your view from the real view to the camera view. What concerns me is how cars to the rear appear closer than they actually were. That's what my side mirrors are for, I want an accurate view of me rear space and apparently the rear view camera for parking is more accurate than the rear view mirror.

Hope this isn't the same for the Chevy Bolt.

 

[Roth33d]

Well it doesn't take long to get used to that, during your first week of driving you should at develop that sense of how close is too close.

Only problem is going to be for those renting or getting one from a car sharing service. During those short drives it might be hard to say how far/close you are.