Is the World Ready For a Car Without a Rear Window? (msn.com) 134
There's a glass roof — but no rear-view window. Instead the Polestar 4 replaces the rear-view mirror with a live feed from a wide-angle camera. Its high-resolution display (1480 x 320 pixels) promises "a panoramic view of the outside," according to Polestar's web site, showing more of what's behind you. "Visibility in the dark and in rainy conditions is also vastly improved."
Besides the camera feed (and side mirrors), the Polestar 4 offers four short-range cameras (for 360-degree views), and even short-range ultrasonics, the Wall Street Journal points out. (Car rear-view windows are usually five feet off the ground, "making a typical traffic cone invisible from closer than about 35 feet." ) And this new design also improves "aero efficiency," reducing drag and shearing turbulence, "critical, since the Polestar 4 is all-electric, and aero drag is the mortal enemy of range." [A]s a practical matter, the Polestar 4's innovation only acknowledges what drivers already know. In many modern cars, the rearview mirror is all but useless, anyway. In a typical full-size SUV, the glass in the rear hatch is about 10 feet away from the rearview mirror, with two sets of headrests in between... Having spent a few days in what Polestar calls an "SUV coupe" I am here to report that drivers won't miss the mirror. For one thing, the display is shaped like a conventional mirror, imbuing it with the comfort of the familiar. The imagery is convincingly mirror-like — reversed — with eye-like focal length, decent resolution and lowlight sensitivity, making it easy to trust when judging distances, with the help of graphical overlays and warning tones. It also has excellent auto-dimming algorithms....
The Polestar 4 is called that because it is the fourth model from the Swedish-Chinese premium/luxury collab, born out of Volvo Cars' performance subbrand. Describing it as an "SUV coupe" almost feels like a translation error. The design eschews signaling traditional utility in favor of a jocund modernism — call it orbital chic.... As for missing the rear window, my advice is, don't look back.
"In sports cars, rearview mirrors have been essentially decorative for some time," the article points out. (The 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 originally envisioned "a rear-facing periscope fitted in a dorsal channel in the roof.")
"The era's contempt for rearview mirrors was captured in a scene from The Gumball Rally (1976) when Raul Julia's character snaps the mirror off his Ferrari Daytona and throws it away. 'The first rule of Italian driving,' he says. 'What's behind me is not important.'"
There's 11 exterior cameras, plus 12 ultrasonic sensors and a mid-range radar to watch for threats and "intervene if necessary". One feature even reads speed limit signs and shows the posted limit on the driver's display. ("If the car exceeds the limit, the driver will hear a warning sound.") Even the windshield has built-in camera sensors to provide automatically "adaptive" headlights that switch from high beam to low beam when they identify approaching vehicles or the taillights of cars ahead.
"A total of seven airbags are deployed in the event of a collision."
Thanks to Slashdot reader fjo3 for sharing the article.
Besides the camera feed (and side mirrors), the Polestar 4 offers four short-range cameras (for 360-degree views), and even short-range ultrasonics, the Wall Street Journal points out. (Car rear-view windows are usually five feet off the ground, "making a typical traffic cone invisible from closer than about 35 feet." ) And this new design also improves "aero efficiency," reducing drag and shearing turbulence, "critical, since the Polestar 4 is all-electric, and aero drag is the mortal enemy of range." [A]s a practical matter, the Polestar 4's innovation only acknowledges what drivers already know. In many modern cars, the rearview mirror is all but useless, anyway. In a typical full-size SUV, the glass in the rear hatch is about 10 feet away from the rearview mirror, with two sets of headrests in between... Having spent a few days in what Polestar calls an "SUV coupe" I am here to report that drivers won't miss the mirror. For one thing, the display is shaped like a conventional mirror, imbuing it with the comfort of the familiar. The imagery is convincingly mirror-like — reversed — with eye-like focal length, decent resolution and lowlight sensitivity, making it easy to trust when judging distances, with the help of graphical overlays and warning tones. It also has excellent auto-dimming algorithms....
The Polestar 4 is called that because it is the fourth model from the Swedish-Chinese premium/luxury collab, born out of Volvo Cars' performance subbrand. Describing it as an "SUV coupe" almost feels like a translation error. The design eschews signaling traditional utility in favor of a jocund modernism — call it orbital chic.... As for missing the rear window, my advice is, don't look back.
"In sports cars, rearview mirrors have been essentially decorative for some time," the article points out. (The 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 originally envisioned "a rear-facing periscope fitted in a dorsal channel in the roof.")
"The era's contempt for rearview mirrors was captured in a scene from The Gumball Rally (1976) when Raul Julia's character snaps the mirror off his Ferrari Daytona and throws it away. 'The first rule of Italian driving,' he says. 'What's behind me is not important.'"
There's 11 exterior cameras, plus 12 ultrasonic sensors and a mid-range radar to watch for threats and "intervene if necessary". One feature even reads speed limit signs and shows the posted limit on the driver's display. ("If the car exceeds the limit, the driver will hear a warning sound.") Even the windshield has built-in camera sensors to provide automatically "adaptive" headlights that switch from high beam to low beam when they identify approaching vehicles or the taillights of cars ahead.
"A total of seven airbags are deployed in the event of a collision."
Thanks to Slashdot reader fjo3 for sharing the article.
For once, yes (Score:5, Interesting)
Obviously the world is ready, because they have existed since near the dawn of automobiles.
Lots of vehicles don't have a rear view window, or one so small it is useless. Some manufacturers, like Nissan, have been supplying rear view cameras in place of the mirror for many years too. The screen is places where the rear view mirror normally goes.
I'm just sad that side cameras didn't replace wing mirrors. Especially now that everyone has super bright headlights, not having a mirror means no light reflected at you.
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
I'm just sad that side cameras didn't replace wing mirrors. Especially now that everyone has super bright headlights, not having a mirror means no light reflected at you.
I've only ever had this problem with the rear view mirror.
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It's an issue with side mirrors in the UK. Maybe something different about the headlights here.
One thing you can do is angle them to reflect the light back at the guy who didn't adjust their headlights properly, but it's a hassle.
Re: For once, yes (Score:3)
It's because of vehicles that have their lights setup for driving in counties where people drive on the right hand side of the road.
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In the US there's just a bunch of misaimed headlights. I have been trained to adjust them, though without the proper equipment the only thing you really need is a nice light colored wall with a perpendicular parking lot. That's not necessarily trivial to find though, TBF, YMMV, etc. I keep hearing from various europeans about how they have inspections, but it wouldn't surprise me if many headlights aren't properly aimed anyway.
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
Why doesnâ(TM)t it surprise me that youâ(TM)d do something passive-aggressive? Pointless too because your mirrors are unlikely to be bothersome. But, you say itâ(TM)s a hassle, which suggests your attention is distracted from the road and worse, youâ(TM)re trying to dazzle somebody else, which of course could result in an accident.
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
It's because of vehicles that have their lights setup for driving in countries where people drive on the right hand side of the road.
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I think the main reason is because we are in a transitional stage where we have lots of smaller, lower cars, and lots of higher, CUV/SUV shape ones. The higher headlights are angled down, but once they get close behind a low car, they hit the mirrors.
Re: For once, yes (Score:5, Funny)
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Are you the asshole in the lifted truck with six light bars and illegally bright HIDs?
No, I drive a ten year old Peugeot hatchback. My headlights barely come up to the level of my knees.
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Tell us how you really feel!
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I'm just sad that side cameras didn't replace wing mirrors. Especially now that everyone has super bright headlights, not having a mirror means no light reflected at you.
I endure this every morning on the way to work. I often have to use my hand to block the headlights in the side mirrors.
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Try adjusting them so they reflect the light back at the other driver. They will eventually realize that they need to adjust their headlights.
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So... intentionally take your attention (and one hand) away from the road while you're driving, with the specific intention of dazzling the driver of another vehicle?
What the fuck is wrong with you?
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Fuck that just get ones of those retina-searing flashlights out of China and just aim it at your side view mirror.
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You used to be able to have a one-way mirror film on your rear view window, for privacy. I don't know if it is still legal because I haven't seen one for a while, but that seems like it would be effective against badly aligned headlights.
Most people don't even seem to know that there is a little knob that adjusts the headlight angle, for cases where you have passengers or cargo in the back.
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
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Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
Many vans too.
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I'm just sad that side cameras didn't replace wing mirrors. Especially now that everyone has super bright headlights, not having a mirror means no light reflected at you.
The problem with cameras and screens is that they take time to get used to. Focal lengths and clarity are different. My car has a switchable camera/LCD and mirror rear-view mirror. I always use the non-camera mirror because it's easier to recognize objects in both daylight and nighttime due to object clarity and the focal length issue. Distinguishing object distances in the mirror at a quick glance is far easier than with the LCD screen.
As far as side mirrors go, the huge problem with side mirrors is th
Re: For once, yes (Score:3)
People who need reading glasses are not ready for this. Even if you wear progressive lenses, there is a problem because the lenses are made for near vision looking down, not up where a motor would be.
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That's an interesting point. I do have a reading prescription, although I don't find it to be an issue with the rear view screen. It's not all that strong though.
Re: For once, yes (Score:2)
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Yeah, it does look nice. The Honda e was great for that too. The camera pods stuck out less than the width of the car body, so you were never at risk of catching them on anything.
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On the side mirrors, the thing I'd really like is some sort of gaze tracking to adjust the cameras. That's the biggest thing I'd see missing in a camera system, where it would probably be fixed positioned.
no, plz ban this (Score:3, Insightful)
I like to be able to see if the driver is looking in their mirror at me so that I can reasonably determine if they are paying attention or not.
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I guess you would hate me. My back and side windows are max tint. You aren't seeing me through the back window. The summary has a specific quote "What's behind me is not important." This is largely true most of the time. They are occasions where I may want to quickly get over because the person behind me is approaching rather quickly and I'm concerned they won't stop in time, but from a legal standpoint, it's entirely on them. Obviously I'd like to avoid that accident as I'm the one that would likely suffer
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Yea, I do. I'm expected to just trust you aren't a moron when you back up out of a parking spot. In 2026, statistically speaking, you are going to be a moron.
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:2)
The rear window is here for the driver of that vehicle, not for other drivers. Plenty of vehicles do not have a rear window, or have an unusable one (delivery vans for example), how do you deal with these? I see the value in what you say, more information is good, but you can't control everyone around you. That's why we have rules and laws: they generally make people predictable, and if people don't follow them, they are accountable for it.
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:2)
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Do you ever use reverse gear? What's behind you is pretty important when you're going backwards...
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:2)
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:2)
I like to be able to look through the window of the car in front so I can get a better view of the road ahead. I canâ(TM)t stand being behind vehicles that block the view of the road.
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: no, plz ban this (Score:2)
I remember a few years ago the car in front of me did not have a central break light so I did not react to their breaking, but I saw the break light of the car in front of them through their back and front windshields. I pushed the breaks hard and narrowly avoided a pileup collision.
So yeah, being able to see through is useful from a safety standpoint.
We all have been stuck behind a slow truck and wondered if it were safe to pass due to the inability to see what was in front of said truck.
Keep the roads saf
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I like to be able to look through the window of the car in front so I can get a better view of the road ahead. I canâ(TM)t stand being behind vehicles that block the view of the road.
This, THIS, a Thousand Times This!
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The ship has sailed though. So many work vehicles don't have rear windows anyway.
Lamborghini Countach (Score:4, Informative)
Re: Lamborghini Countach (Score:2)
A car few men can own, and even fewer can park!
I have a Tesla Model Y (Score:2)
I love the rear facing camera, it's really useful for backing on a curvy driveway at night, and many other things
One small problem. It's really wide angle, so it gives a distorted view and makes it hard to judge distance
When I'm 3 feet from an obstacle, the camera view makes it appear more like 10-15 feet
Re:I have a Tesla Model Y (Score:4, Interesting)
I love the rear facing camera, it's really useful for backing on a curvy driveway at night, and many other things One small problem. It's really wide angle, so it gives a distorted view and makes it hard to judge distance When I'm 3 feet from an obstacle, the camera view makes it appear more like 10-15 feet
Jeep has backup lines superimposed on the image, that in conjunction with a sensor on the wheels, moves around and tells you where you will end up if you continue backing up with the wheel turned in the direction you have it. plus green, yellow, and red distance markers You can back up like a Boss, make super accurate 3 point turns, and in the woods on narrow roads with a steep drop it can be a lifesaver. If someone is coming the other way and we meet, I tell them I'll back up. I've done over a quarter mile just watching the backup camera.
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omg. I just got a new 2026 VW Jetta S and I absolutely love the backup camera. I still catch myself looking backwards, but its true, when I'm pulling out of spaces where I have zero visibility to my left and right, that camera's wide angle allows me to see way more than I normally could. The super-imposted backup lines also make it MUCH easier to parallel park. My wife still doesn't use it because she doesn't trust it, but I'm sure she'll eventually come around.
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Jeep has backup lines superimposed on the image, that in conjunction with a sensor on the wheels, moves around and tells you where you will end up if you continue backing up with the wheel turned in the direction you have it. plus green, yellow, and red distance markers
My wife's Outback has this as well.
On my Camry, the lines don't move... but they are still color-coded the same way, plus there's an (rather quiet) alarm if you get too close to whatever's behind you.
Re: I have a Tesla Model Y (Score:2)
Donâ(TM)t they all do that? I rent a lot of cars, and canâ(TM)t remember a car with a reversing camera that didnâ(TM)t have guides that adjust with the turn of the steering.
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Donâ(TM)t they all do that? I rent a lot of cars, and canâ(TM)t remember a car with a reversing camera that didnâ(TM)t have guides that adjust with the turn of the steering.
The guy I replied to didn't mention them on he Tesla. Regardless, that should be on every vehicle now.
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A wide-angle image is an attempt to compensate for the lack of peripheral vision from not turning your head. It can't fully do so, and apparently people will dump on them for even trying.
I'm sure next year's model will correct the problem by narrowing the viewing angle and adding some AI filter to make the image more aesthetically pleasing.
So essentially an always-on backup camera (Score:2)
Except its display is on the upper windshield where one has typically found a mirror before.
Sure, why not? In modern cars, it can only help visibility - rear windows are basically afterthoughts already on most vehicles. Additionally, a conventional mirror it's useless when your car is full of stuff, which does occasionally happen.
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Modern cars have too high of a beltline [wikipedia.org], particularly in the rear. Rear windows are becoming useless.
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It's a crash safety thing.
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Yes, as long as you're the one in the big, heavy car, it's great. Shame if you're the kid it's reversing over though.
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"In modern cars, it can only help visibility"
Until the screen fucks with your night time vision.
Aptera's have solar panels instead (Score:2)
Optionally, a custom build can have a window. but it's a huge cut in its self-charging ability.
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"...but it's a huge cut in its self-charging ability."
Aptera's "self-charging ability" is a fraud. At best, with extra cost panels", it generates only a tenth of what the car consumes. It's not a "huge cut" when it does nothing in the first place.
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> it generates only a tenth of what the car consumes
Surely they generate more than a tenth of the approximately zero watts it consumes while parked?
=Smidge=
Hello, 1995 calling... (Score:2)
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Add a video input connection too. (Score:2)
I have a camera mounted to the rear of the camper. I need to have a seperate screen in the truck to use the camera. GM in its lack of imagination did not leave a simple composite input as an alternate feed to the back up camera, but they did include a setting to always show the backup camera's view in the infotainment screen.
And yes the guide bars in the camper camera are a great help in backing it up.
Sure, why not (Score:3)
What's one other piece of electronics to go bad over time or have the driver pay an exorbitant amount to have repaired if they're in an accident.
The K.I.S.S. principle is dead.
Courage is contageous (Score:2)
I'm ready for a car without wheels.
Cops ... (Score:2)
My anecdote (not data) (Score:2)
What mirrors provide (Score:2)
I'm seeing a lot of comments along the lines of "oh, backup cameras are great!" I certainly hope that is not the only time people want to see behind them! My rearview mirror gets way more use when I'm on the highway than in my driveway.
What's "eye-like focal length"? (Score:3)
The imagery is convincingly mirror-like — reversed — with eye-like focal length, decent resolution and lowlight sensitivity
Do they mean it has some sort of optics in front of it so that my eye focuses on the display as if it's at 20'+ distance, as it would subjects in a traditional mirror? If so, yes please. And please put that on the dashboard display, too. My 50+ year old eyes don't focus inside of 36" away, and my bifocals stop at 24". Aaaaand, the dash is between those two. Fortunately, I also drive an older car with analog gauges, and it's pretty easy to see where the dial points.
Otherwise, I have no idea what they mean.
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Heads up displays are becoming more common, even in non-luxury cars.
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One of the modern innovations I really would like to have is full AR on my windscreen. I want unexpected hazards highlighted in real time, particularly those that are more easily detectable by non-visual sensors, like big potholes or animals obscured by vegetation near the side of a country road. I want the actual driving line I need to take to follow my planned route through complex junctions overlaid slightly on my view of the road ahead. I want light amplification for night driving, ideally combined with
Heck... (Score:2)
Not quite (Score:2)
As an owner of a 2025 4Runner with a "digital mirror", I can tell you that things don't look the same as they do with a regular mirror. Objects in the digital mirror appear closer than they actually are.
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Objects in the digital mirror appear closer than they actually are.
Make sense, as distance is different. But if you know where the camera is, it seems like you could account for it. I've driven a cargo van with a rear camera and I found it very helpful.
Confusion (Score:3)
The Polestar 4 is replacing the MIRROR with a display feed, and not the window... Which is actually a pretty great idea because maybe they can both improve the angle of coverage and deal with blinding headlights from behind.
Problem is we have to trust they won't paywall the functionality at a later date.
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"The Polestar 4 is replacing the MIRROR with a display feed, and not the window."
Because the window does not even exist. The display doesn't "replace" the window, it compensates for the lack of one.
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Actually, no, the first Polestar 4 had no rear window. It hasn't had a rear window since... 2023. They have had a camera mirror this entire time. They are just now *adding* a rear window. https://www.topgear.com/car-ne... [topgear.com]
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Unless I misunderstand you, I think you're mistaken.
The Polestar4 does not have a physical rear window, instead having rear facing cameras and a digital display in place of the central rear view mirror which normally is aimed through that window.
Bit of trivia (Score:2)
Where is one of the last places you'd expect a rear-view mirror?
The SR-71 had one.
The practical use case was checking the deployment of the landing parachute.
Slashvertisement... (Score:2)
Why not? (Score:2)
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didn't know my side view mirrors can see through my car and behind, guess i do need those "better" ones... or maybe i should stick them on a stick 5 feet out on either side for a better angle...
side view mirrors don't catch everything when driving, reversing... ESPECIALLY BEHIND YOU... it's why that mirror exists... that is the blind spot it tries to provide a solution for
sometimes seeing the cop/ambulance/person/tree, etc behind you helps...
checking in on passengers behind you in the car without turning 18
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Side mirrors almost always leave a large blind spot directly behind and close to the vehicle. There's a reason that when firefighters are reversing their appliances they always have at least one of the crew physically get out and watch the area behind the vehicle.
Even a rear window and rear view mirror almost always leave a significant blind spot low and close behind the vehicle, which is why reversing cameras became a thing. When they're done well, they really are significantly safer, as well as sometimes
if you can eliminate flare and complete blindness (Score:2)
if you can eliminate flare and complete blindness from a light or some rain/mud on the lens.. sure...
But from what i have experienced... nothing beats the old school mirror at actually providing visibility in most conditions when a camera would be useless. I know it's been in use for a while on some cars/makes for years now... there should be enough data to asses how much of a benefit this is at increasing safety.
Add human nature to the mix and how much more eye time is spent watching the screen versus the
This is not new (Score:2)
>"There's a glass roof â" but no rear-view window. Instead the Polestar 4 replaces the rear-view mirror with a live feed from a wide-angle camera. [...] the Polestar 4's innovation""
This is not "Polestar's innovation." My Nissan Ariya has a video rear view mirror. It has been offered for years. I am not blinded by any lights, passengers or cargo do not block my view, and I can see much more area.
Now, having no rear window is different, but having a video mirror is certainly not.
>"There's 11 e
This car has been on sale for nearly 2 years (Score:2)
Why is this being reported as news?
Drove one for 10 years with no problems (Score:2)
For 10 years, my daily driver was a Lotus Exige Cup 260. The rear window is tiny in a normal Exige, but the supercharger in the Cup model took it all up. There was zero visibility from the center rear vision mirror. Some people with the same car would just remove the rear mirror.
It took a bit to get used to, but just using the wing mirrors gave me enough vision to drive safely for 10 years.
If there was actually a display and a rear camera, then you'd be better off than me.
I prefer a real mirror (Score:2)
Nope, how far back does it see ??? (Score:2)
Probably Illegal (Score:2)
I'm pretty sure this is illegal in North America. But, like cars without amber turn signals and dangerously bright LED headlights, the NHTSB is just going to let it slide due to regulator capture.
this is foolish, but it's up to the consumer (Score:2)
I guess we will see how this plays out.
I have a Palisade with the digital rear view and I prefer to use it, despite some drawbacks.
Ultimately, I'd rather have consumers and long term statistics determine if this is a success than any government bureaucrat hand waving.
Comments
- it's another electronic thing that I expect will fail long before the physical mirror would
- given the length of the car it is generally a much better view than a mirror would provide
- obviously a tiny camera lens is much more easily
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You just drove into a lake. The car is going down nose-first. The bystanders would like to rescue you, but that rear access that is still above water for the moment is not available.
That’s what you get for relying on Apple Maps
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You're one of those people who doesn't wear a seatbelt either, aren't you?
=Smidge=
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No, I wouldn't think of getting on the highway without fastening my seat belt. I sometimes, very slowly, navigate a parking lot at McDonald's because I'm just driving to the trash can to deposit my drive-thru bag for the food I received, and am going to get out of the car within the next 150 feet. Otherwise, seat belt every time. Its air bags I object to having to pay for. Have never been in a situation where they would have been an advantage, and that includes 62 years of driving.
Also, folks seem to
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Yeah but if you drive into a lake, even without the panic and well practiced motions, untangling yourself from a seatbelt could delay your escape by 5 to 10 seconds; a significant portion of the estimated 30-45 seconds you'll have to escape a sinking vehicle. You'll probably say something like "It doesn't take me even 5 seconds to undo my seatbelt" so I'll just point out that every time you've done so to date, your car was not nose-down like an amusement park ride.
> Its air bags I object to having to pay
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Don't worry. You probably have funky modern door handles that don't work when the power goes out anyway. Not that the power in an EV is likely to go out if it's underwater or on fire or anything.
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Re: Mirrors (Score:2)
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We don't need tech to replace something that works better than the tech.
Oh, don't be silly. Next you'll be making even more absurd claims, like that car theft was already a solved problem 20 years ago thanks to immobilisers, or that having separate physical controls for essential functions that you can find and use without taking your eyes off the road for several seconds to mess around with a touchscreen is safer, or that no-one ever hacked 100,000 cars at once from 1,000 miles away back when they didn't have always-on remote connectivity and allow OTA updates to their essenti
Re: commentsubject (Score:2)
Re: video hallucinations (Score:2)
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