Japanese maker Nissan has revealed a new digital LCD rear-view mirror which is said to eliminate blind spots.
The smart mirror being shown at the 2014 Geneva car show uses a camera mounted above the rear window.
At the flick of a switch the driver can jump back and forth between the camera feed and what would normally be seen through a traditional reflective glass mirror.
Nissan says that using the digital option the driver’s rearward view is unhindered, eliminating blind spots, namely areas which cannot be seen or are masked by the car’s structure.
Visibility is often restricted by modern designs which feature high rear deck lids and large rear pillars. Rear vision in SUVs is also usually poorer than in saloon cars.
The digital mirror can also compensate for dirty rear windows, the glare of direct sunlight and the headlamps of cars following, said Nissan.
The innovation means designers can make rear windows smaller in future, giving them more of a free hand when penning aerodynamic shapes, said Andy Palmer, chief planning officer and executive vice president of Nissan.
The smart mirror is to debut in a racing car competing in this year’s Le Mans 24-hour race and will find its way into a tuned Nissan-Nismo model, initially in Japan only.
