(R)EVOLUTION - Video rear-view mirror

Video rear-view mirror – Reducing blind spots

Since its appearance in the early 20th century, the rear-view mirror has profoundly transformed driving by allowing motorists to monitor their rear environment. But despite all its developments – remote adjustment, electric motorisation, electrochromic treatment – it still has one limitation: blind spots, invisible areas that continue to pose a risk to road safety.

To address this challenge, the American company Gentex is developing an innovation that completely redefines the role of the interior mirror: the video mirror. Here, there is no mirror, but a high-definition screen that transmits in real time the feed captured by several cameras strategically placed on the vehicle. The result is a wider and clearer view, even in difficult conditions such as at night, in the rain or when the rear window is obstructed.

This device offers a decisive advantage: it significantly reduces blind spots and improves overall perception of the environment. Whereas a conventional mirror depends on the size of the rear window and the position of the driver, the video system guarantees a stable and complete image, thus freeing up the field of vision. For motorists, this translates into safer and more relaxed driving.

Gentex plans to roll out this technology on several models, notably Aston Martin, symbolising its transition from concept to reality. The digital rear-view mirror is part of a broader trend in contemporary automotive design: that of on-board vision systems, which combine cameras, radars and sensors to continuously analyse the environment and assist the driver.

Beyond safety, this innovation heralds the arrival of increasingly connected driving. In the future, these screens could integrate additional information from ADAS systems, such as lane departure warning, pedestrian detection and hazard zone display.

The video rear-view mirror thus illustrates a major transformation: from a simple passive mirror, it is becoming an intelligent tool, capable of broadening the driver’s perceptions and supporting the transition to safer, more intuitive and resolutely forward-looking mobility.