Automotive

Cadillac replaces rear-view mirror with HD video feed

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Cadillac is planning to replace the rear-view mirror with a video feed
Cadillac is planning to replace the rear-view mirror with a video feed
Conventional rear-view mirrors can often be obstructed by headrests, passengers and luggage
A High Definition video camera will be mounted outside the vehicle
Cadillac says a video feed will increase rear-view line of sight by 300 percent compared to conventional rear-view mirrors
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Although they're meant to show what's happening on the road behind you, rear-view mirrors can be obstructed by headrests, passengers and luggage. To counter this, Cadillac is planning to replace the rear-view mirror with a video feed. It estimates a 300 percent increase in field of vision.

Other car manufacturers have previously used video feeds to provide drivers with a rear-facing view. Mazda, Toyota and Ford have all used a cutaway approach, while Audi has in some instances replaced the mirror altogether. Although Cadillac intends for a video feed to improve the functionality of the mirror, it will revert back to being a conventional electrochromatic mirror if needs be.

The firm says it will use 1280 x 240 resolution TFT-LCD display with 171 pixels per inch. In addition, it says an HD camera and high dynamic range video feed will reduce glare and provide a crisper image in low-light situations when compared to traditional rear-view mirrors.

Cadillac says a video feed will increase rear-view line of sight by 300 percent compared to conventional rear-view mirrors

The camera itself will be mounted outside the vehicle and will have a hydrophobic coating to repel water and keep it clear. In the event that the camera is covered or damaged, a toggle underneath the mirror will allow the driver to disable the video streaming and revert back to using a conventional mirror.

Cadillac expects to debut the technology in the 2016 Cadillac CT6.

Source: Cadillac

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11 comments
Glenn™
I've wondered for years now why all manufacturers haven't moved to this type of rearview display.
Cispa Thrasher
Yay. GM finally caught up with Tesla. Now can you update my Volt software to allow me to keep it on as well?
Griffin
The Original Y2K Turbine Motorcycle featured this 15 years ago.
William Amos
Where's the touch-screen Blue-Tooth device interface?.....lol Soon I'm sure!
Wolf0579
"Streaming" video?!? Seriously???
C'Mon! It seems you really must "sex it up" for those with less than a normal intellect. Most of us would suffice it to say "live" video, although the term implies "live" as it is, say as opposed to a "still".
DaveWesely
The next improvement should be to replace the outside rear view mirror "wings" with view screens inside on the A pillar feeding from a camera positioned in the headlight area for better blindspot monitoring and aerodynamics.
John Banister
Maybe soon they can make it wider and replace the side mirrors as well.
sk8dad
Replace the windows (er and everything else) with HD displays, so that there are no blind spots anywhere. You can even see through your luggage, other passengers, and even your own body. Better than Wonder Woman's invisible jet. Your're disembodied eyeballs are just floating down the road. Parallel parking would certainly be easier.
But seriously, while part of me welcomes this innovation, another part of me can't help but wonder if the momentum for ever increasingly complicated automobiles is just a metaphor for the unsustainable world economic model based on growth? Modern rear view mirrors are incredibly reliable in stark contrast to modern electronics. A single software glitch or a wayward transistor could render an entire automotive electronics package unusable--not to mention the prohibitively expensive cost of replacement. Notice I didn't say repair? Nobody repairs anything electronic anymore. $100 and a screw driver is all you need for a traditional mirror (if the extremely rare even ever occurs), but a faulty (or broken) HD display...um...I don't know, $2k-ish? As cars become ever more connected, how long before the first report of drivers getting advertisements or spam on their rear view mirrors? Remember there was a time (for those older than 20) when we thought our cell phones were impervious to viruses and spam?
Well, when self-driving cars become mainstream,
Jeff Goldstein
Sounds like a good idea. I hope someone introduces a aftermarket kit for this. Now that aftermarket back up cameras are inexpensive I thought about installing one and modifying its installation so it would act as a rear view mirror. Maybe I won't have to.
Slowburn
If I am going to have a video system I want to be able to see sideways from the very front and rear of the car.