[SpideyBoy]

Hyundai Mobis, a public South Korean car parts company, has developed a camera monitoring system that may be used as a replacement for the side-view mirrors in the next-generation vehicles. Three high-performance camera sensors installed inside the vehicle will, reportedly, increase driving safety by reducing the blind spots. Moreover, unlike conventional cars with side-view mirrors, here the cameras will be situated inside the car, thereby cutting down on wind resistance. Consequently, the vehicle is expected to deliver better fuel efficiency figures.

With the introduction of this advanced sensor technology, Hyundai Mobis will become one among a small number of global future mobility developers working towards exporting their technology to car manufacturers. Besides the development of elementary technologies like sensors and solutions based on them, the company will also work on the core parts portfolio.

Speaking on the occasion, Gregory Baratoff, Vice President said, “The paradigm shift to the future car is demanding both functional and design upgrades of all core components, which have been taken for granted until today.”

Source

Will there really be a drastic improvement in the fuel efficiency by avoiding wind resistance on the side view mirrors? I personally think it's pretty minimal, might have more impact on Harrier sized mirrors.

We are in the paradigm shift where all the mechanicals are being replaced by electronics. Very soon we might see no steering but a touchscreen of left n right buttons too like a joystick who knows

[jailbird_fynix]

This is how it works in the Audi e-tron and in a future Lexus ES concept model -

http://youtu.be/1OACeYled_0

http://youtu.be/MSruk_75Rss

The e-tron cockpit has no less than 5 separate touchscreens.

[1100D]

Here's a similar system from Honda for it's E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urf9JK5Szn8

[GTO]

Related Thread (New Tech: Digital Rear View Mirror?)

I think the time has definitely come as cameras & displays are now dirt-cheap. Another advantage is that the display can be placed at a location that is more convenient to the driver. When I was test-driving the new Civic, I was using the left ORVM's camera display instead of the ORVM itself.

My biggest concern is how it will affect the looks of a car . ORVMs are an integral part of car design & we're so used to them.

[Sebring]

Its a trend moving forward. Recollect a video where the latest Honda Electric got Rear View Cameras. Looks like all cars will have one in the future

[Motor_Nut]

Side view cameras instead of regular side mirrors shall definitely enhance convenience and safety standards e.g. reduced blind spots, wide angle view, better nigh vision, zoom in/out feature etc. It will also allow car manufacturers to play around with the car's design because side cameras can be placed anywhere on the car's body.

For now it is still in a conceptualization state and may take some time before the feature is available commercially. This being said, it has few disadvantages as well. With camera view, human eyes may not estimate correctly the distance of vehicles behind the car, things will further complicate if side view cameras are equipped with zoom in/out feature. And just imagine car being water splashed during rains by fellow vehicles, camera view may get blocked completely. Until lenses are cleaned, there will no side view at all. Lastly obliviously side view cameras will add up into service and repair costs.

[twin_turbo]

Originally Posted by Motor_Nut

Lastly obliviously side view cameras will add up into service and repair costs.

I have a feeling that this will be tech for the sake of it. At least in most cars. Almost like replacing something that works perfectly fine and cheap with something that is more difficult to use and maintain just for the sake of marketing the car as tech friendly?

There are obvious advantages once we reach Level 3 or 4 autonomy (or have a 360 camera at-least). When cameras are already in the vehicle for a reason we might as well make use of it for this purpose.

[SH1N1G4MI]

This is just another point of failure. Electronics are much more prone to failure than an analogue system. Considering a side camera; it will be at the constant mercy of the rains and the occasional mad squid who thinks he can squeeze through. And when it fails, which it will, you're gonna have a car that is pretty much undrivable and the repairs are going to burn quite a big hole, much more so than if it were just a piece of glass.

[adi.mariner]

The cameras and sensors to replace side view mirrors are surely a good idea. But the wind resistance and better fuel economy seem far fetched specially in city driving when you can rarely go beyond the 2nd or 3rd gear.

[Samurai]

My right side rear view mirror gets snapped back by an oncoming car or bike at least once a month in Bangalore. I call it the side mirror high-five. The mirrors also at the mercy of rains, which can't be avoided since mirror must be replaced outside.

If they are re-engineering side view mirrors, they need to address the above concerns. A side view camera may not survive the hard contact resulting from a side mirror high-five. Also, why subject the lens to the rains?

They need to re-think the placement of cameras. It can be placed deep (like how a sniper sits back away from the window) so that rain and dust can't get to it easily, unless a water jet is used for cleaning it. Don't let the camera protrude from the body, where they can be easily hit by oncoming vehicles.

[GeeTee TSI]

Do the side view cameras in lieu of ORVMs remain always on? Especially to check for approaching traffic before opening the front doors

[JBIBS]

Please don't fix something because it ain't broke yet ! Mirrors work perfectly fine for a car, expect for heavy rains. If possible enhance the mirrors with the aid of blind spot monitors and any other stuff. Even a cam can be an addition to the Mirror like Civic. If not anything, at least by force, people maintain a "mirror distance" from each other in our traffic. With mirrors gone, the distance will be hairline.

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by Samurai

My right side rear view mirror gets snapped back by an oncoming car or bike at least once a month in Bangalore. I call it the side mirror high-five. The mirrors also at the mercy of rains, which can't be avoided since mirror must be replaced outside.

If they are re-engineering side view mirrors, they need to address the above concerns. A side view camera may not survive the hard contact resulting from a side mirror high-five. Also, why subject the lens to the rains?

They need to re-think the placement of cameras. It can be placed deep (like how a sniper sits back away from the window) so that rain and dust can't get to it easily, unless a water jet is used for cleaning it. Don't let the camera protrude from the body, where they can be easily hit by oncoming vehicles.

The "side mirror high five" had me in splits.

This is however a very India specific problem and therefore will probably be solved by an Indian manufacturer when the side cameras go mainstream in a few years time.

The rain and grime issue is global and I am sure has an easy fix to it once this technology is adopted properly. Embedding the camera inside the front quarter panel seems like the best idea to me. I mean you would potentially need a camera with a wide field of view but that shouldn't be that tough to get. It will also save the camera from the "high five".

[CarCynic]

Factory fitted camera systems aside, which are still a few years away for regular cars, I hope Chinese manufacturers come up with some cheap and easy to install options soon, like how they did with reverse camera systems.

The last time my Safari's left side mirror was cracked, I had to replace the whole unit (manual folding) because the company didn't offer just the mirror glass as a spare, set me back by ~Rs.3500. I would gladly pay twice for a camera system than can be switched off when driving in sparse traffic, or even better, which turns the screen(s) on after sensing traffic in the vicinity.

[VVN]

Originally Posted by SH1N1G4MI

This is just another point of failure. Electronics are much more prone to failure than an analogue system. Considering a side camera; it will be at the constant mercy of the rains and the occasional mad squid who thinks he can squeeze through. And when it fails, which it will, you're gonna have a car that is pretty much undrivable and the repairs are going to burn quite a big hole, much more so than if it were just a piece of glass.

I somewhat disagree. Modern ORVMs are not that simple anymore with auto folding tech and what not being integrated. If a biker ends up destroying your camera based ORVM, the cost to replace that will probably be similar or marginally more than what you end up paying today. The advantages are listed by Honda where the drag is significantly reduced compared to a conventional ORVM. The important question would be - Is it India friendly? The tech itself might not be a game changer but then most of the OEMs have added features in the last few years that we could live without. But here we are, getting used to them and liking them at the end of the day.