rxonmymind

A droplet of water or snowflake distorts my back up camera. I also hope they have the sense to make the lenses a screw in type to be easily replaced once they get scratched up just like normal sunglasses. Not charge you an arm & leg for a dealer only replacement.
Personally I like mirrors. I able them outfar enough to cover my blind spot. Never understood why one wanted to angle the mirror so you see the side of your car. Anyway, technology keeps marching on.

chikoo

2 came to mind even though Ian not fully awake yet

1. Mirrors don't have night vision
2. Mirrors cannot record

mmarshall

Most cameras don't have night vision, either, except with infrared scan, which gives only a partial image.

coolsaber

The big thing people who write about mirroless cars include are their fuel efficiency dynamics. Mirrors are "apparently" a lost fuel savings due to their "drag".

Ehh

Yea Infrared requires a separate module, which is quite sizable (think the smallest side view mirrors size).

Sulu

You do not need infrared. Electronic camera sensors can be designed to be very sensitive to light so that what little ambient light is available is enough, and then the image can be enhanced by post-processing before being displayed on the display. Not to mention that the cameras on your car are likely to be pointed in a direction in which there is light pointed, for example, the back-up camera will come on in conjunction with the back-up lights.

There are also many lens coatings that protect against scratches, dirt, water, glare; many of these coatings are going on smartphone screen glass also. Ever shop for eyeglasses and have the salesperson try to sell you every type of protective coating available under the sun?

That being said, I do agree with the sentiment that we should keep mirrors on cars. I also believe that driver education classes should teach new drivers how to properly set and use mirrors. I took a safe-backing course some years ago and it taught me a lot about how to properly use the 3 mirrors in every car. it was one of the best courses I have ever taken.

Toys4RJill

How it any different if a car hits your mirrors And knocks them off?

UDel

It is plenty different, physical mirrors don't just fail/stop showing you an image, odds of getting both outside and rear view mirror knocked off is almost non existent unless you are John Candy driving the wrong way between 2 trucks in "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles"(but he did not lose the rear view), physical mirrors don't cost a fortune to replace/fix if they are damaged unlike a digital lcd screen/camera system would cost if it fails.

chikoo

frankly speaking, this will pass as well - AutoPilot does not need mirrors

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

have you checked out lately the cost of a motorized, folding auto-dimming, heated mirror these days?

coolsaber

Unless things have changed its quite a lot. However cameras are bit of different story. Usually the camera would have an associated module that would need to be programmed to accept a new module. Its not like taking out a cheapo DIY backupcamera. More likely then not, the initial cost of replacement would be high. However until in say a decade when someone goes and produces these items for cheap its going to be tough pill to swallow out of pocket.

UDel

Have you checked out the cost of replacing the NAV/Screen when it goes out? It is very expensive. Motorized folding mirrors may be expensive but non motorized are generally not very expensive to replace.