What a Drag: Time to Get Rid of Outside Mirrors (Car Talk article)

[P-hack]

plus pan and zoom fidgets can't be far off. I find mirrors do make good, albeit a little expensive, cat whiskers.

[niky]

Originally Posted by basjoos

In addition to simplicity, mirrors have another advantage over video cameras. With video, the view you get with the camera is all you get. With a mirror you can move your head forward or back and side to side to shift your angle of view relative to the mirror to see objects that just out of view from your usual head position.

That's all on the camera. Note: rear view mirrors (emphasis on plural) versus rear view camera (emphasis on singular).

Newer rear view cameras are wide angle, and have more coverage than any mirror can. A three camera array will give you a better rear view than a three mirror array.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

In the "whole BIG picture" scenario, mirrors fall WAY behind wheels in drag creation.

I dunno about that. I've had a wheel come off before, and the drag skyrocketed to the point where the vehicle came to a screeching halt. Just imagine the drag with no wheels at all :-)

I vote for cameras over mirrors, simply because you could program them to do image processing, and eliminate the blinding glare from idiots who either don't know how to dim their headlights, or have them mounted about 6 feet off the ground.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by niky

With the level of electronics in today's cars, with TFT displays, LCD screens everywhere and centralized vehicle control and infotainment systems, adding two more cameras should add less than a hundred dollars to the price tag over two power-adjustable/power-folding outside mirrors.

Oh come on! They have more features than that! Heated, integrated turn signals, wipers...

[NeilBlanchard]

I can see more than 180 degrees behind my car all at once, without moving anything.

I paid retail for the two cameras and two monitors of about $150 or so, including shipping. The stock mirrors (with remote power adjustment, no turn signal or heating) cost about $270 each. If I didn't need to put the optical mirrors on for a safety inspection, I could have sold them to pay for the video mirrors.

All losses matter. Why are we worried about which one is more important? The law should be changed to allow video mirrors, and if you want to keep using optical mirrors, that's fine, too.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by niky

I currently have to pay a few hundred dollars to replace a power-adjustable side mirror after some loon has knocked it off.

It can be a couple 100 more if the mirror housing also includes indicators, and can fold away - an option no-one will ever need again with cameras

It'll also become possible to put the sensors in a far better spot than where they are now.

You don't need multiple camera's either, 180° vision lenses are around, all they need is software to split / rectify the spherical image.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

In the "whole BIG picture" scenario, mirrors fall WAY behind wheels in drag creation.

Sure, but it's a tad harder to get rid of the wheels.
Just try it

[nemo]

Not completely convinced no mirrors is the way to go. Cameras have numerous advantage including mount locations, size, field of view, IR and low light. The question will be what is the failure rate of the cameras. Would these then become part of vehicle inspection if inspections are required by your state. The interior mirror could be retained in case of camera failure and/or a magnetic or suction based mirror for emergency use.
Based on the number of broken mirrors I see many people would not or could not afford to do the repairs or maybe they are such good drivers they don't need them.

[niky]

If you don't scrimp on good connectors and wiring, and considering that the camera will (have to) be enclosed in a waterproof/weatherproof enclosure, and won't be packaged in with hot microprocessors, power supplies and batteries as the cameras in iPads are, I expect a good set of cameras to last several years, at the very least, or to last the lifespan of the vehicle.

[grins2go_brett]

My Sprinter had an aftermarket backup camera installed when the vehicle was new and being outfitted for my business. I rewired it to be on anytime the key is in the on position, instead of only when in reverse. It is mounted in the rear cargo door, so it gets vibration from opening and closing, as well as regular road vibrations. And I live in the hot desert of Phoenix, Arizona. That original camera lasted 5 1/2 years before giving out. The one I replaced it with is smaller in overall size and better quality. Since backup cameras are becoming standard equipment on more vehicles, I believe their durability is improving. I think camera's used in place of side mirrors would be great for efficiency gains. They would take time for the public to get used to. But I would love to be able to replace my huge side mirrors with cameras and interior monitors and have them mounted directly in front of me on the dash.