Is it really possible for electronic cameras to replace rearview mirrors?

Wanda Wang Jianlin 's words about setting a small goal not long ago have become popular. From this, we realize that we must set a small goal before doing anything. So, after more than 100 years of development, if we want to make some changes, we might as well set a small goal first, such as getting rid of the rearview mirror first!

The car rearview mirror was invented in 1914, and it has been around for 100 years. The function of the rearview mirror is very simple, that is, it uses the principle of reflection to allow us to see the side and rear (partial angle) of the vehicle without turning our heads at a large angle, which increases the driving safety factor.

However, this 100-year-old rearview mirror also has some drawbacks, such as blind spots in the field of vision, especially for large vehicles. Secondly, rainy days greatly affect the vision, which is often blurred. Finally, there is the wind resistance. The two lenses that look small actually increase the air resistance by 3% to 6%. Moreover, on narrow roads, you will be more worried about hitting other cars...

Lane assist is usually achieved by using the camera under the rearview mirror.

In fact, the idea of ​​removing car rearview mirrors has been around for a long time. In 2015, the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations discussed that if the car meets certain requirements, video alternatives can be considered.

By using a camera, the first point is that the volume becomes much smaller, so it is very helpful in reducing wind resistance, which in turn will also improve the car's power and fuel economy.

Secondly, due to the small size of the camera, more cameras can be installed, and the final synthesized image can be more comprehensive without blind spots, avoiding the blind spot problems of existing rearview mirrors, and is relatively safer.

I don’t know if you have noticed that many of the more mature technologies in the IT field have been applied to cars after they have developed to a certain extent, such as some communication equipment, 4G, WiFi, sensors, etc.

Electronic cameras replace rearview mirrors

Not to mention the distant past, 10 years ago (the first year of the first iPhone), the cameras were actually pretty crappy, at least the low-cost cameras that could be widely used by the public were pretty crappy. The video technology and the processors that processed the video were also pretty crappy. Even if we had the idea at that time, it would have been impossible to get rid of the rearview mirror.

What other challenges do we face?

However, the current camera solution also faces huge challenges. The first is the improvement of relevant laws and regulations. Why do cars have to look like this? In many cases, the requirements of laws and regulations are also part of the reason. For example, a car without a rearview mirror cannot be driven on the road. It is illegal.

The second is cost. A car rearview mirror is just two mirrors, plus some metal and plastic, and at most it has anti-glare and heating features. The cost of installing a camera is definitely higher than that of a rearview mirror, and it must be a camera with high imaging quality and powerful image processing support.

For family cars, the fuel saving effect of not having a rearview mirror may be minimal, and may not save a few dozen yuan a year. If the camera is replaced, the cost may be several thousand yuan more. Safety? Sorry, Chinese consumers are the least willing to buy this.

The third is everyone's habits. Rearview mirrors have been around for 100 years, and everyone has been used to looking at them for decades. So it is difficult to suddenly change a driving habit. So I boldly predict that even if the camera solution can be solved, rearview mirrors should be retained for a while, allowing drivers to gradually adapt to the new way.

Any new technology will encounter various difficulties in its early stages. Take autonomous driving for example. If people don’t need to drive in the future, what is the use of rearview mirrors? And without cameras, autonomous driving will be difficult. However, limited by existing objective conditions, rearview mirrors will continue to exist for quite a long time. But I think it’s only a matter of time before rearview mirrors are eliminated!

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.