Nissan has developed the Smart Rearview Mirror, which makes the vehicle's passengers and other objects inside it disappear when you look into it.
The mirror provides an unobstructed view for the driver when he looks into mirror, providing added visibility for a safer driving experience.
The Smart Rearview Mirror isn't magic though. Rather, it is another feat of great and innovative engineering from Nissan.
The mirror uses a small camera that is mounted right behind the vehicle's rear window, located in a spot where the rear wiper can keep its view clean. The camera sends what it sees to a video monitor placed inside the housing of the rearview mirror, bypassing all the passengers and objects that the driver would otherwise see when using a conventional rearview mirror. The driver can then use a switch to shift between using the traditional rearview mirror and using the camera display.
The field of vision provided by the mounted camera matches up well with what should be seen using a traditional mirror. The picture can be adjusted in terms of zoom, height and brightness, and can also be used for a better view during bad weather.
"Smart rearview mirror will give our customers the best possible view no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat, or the road conditions," said Nissan Chief Planning Officer and executive Vice President Andy Palmer at Nissan USA's website.
The company has developed and implemented similar design in their systems before, such as Nissan's Around View Monitor. The Around View Monitor uses four installed cameras around the vehicle to provide the driver with a more detailed picture of the vehicle's surroundings, which is particularly useful when driving through tight spaces and when parking. Nissan also developed the Moving Object Detection system, which further provides the driver with even more information of the environment.
The innovativeness of the Smart Rearview Mirror has officially been recognized, receiving the 2014 Traffic Safety Achievement Award during the New York International Auto Show. According to the awarding body World Traffic Safety Symposium, the Smart Rearview Mirror is one of "the most cutting-edge, life-saving safety features available in vehicles today."
Nissan is looking to release the Smart Rearview Mirror first in Japan and possibly globally come 2015. The company is currently evaluating the demand for the product in the United States.
Nissan will also be demonstrating the Smart Rearview Mirror at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
