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Needed or Wanted Technology

BarkingGhostar

Diamond Member
I think it was late last year during a European auto show that Honda came out with a concept car that was pretty near to the production version of what they were simply calling the EV. In a couple of videos of the interior, there was a continuous set of displays that ran from the driver's side A-pillar to the passenger-side A-pillar. The two segments od displays at the A-pillar were used as 'side mirrors' because there were no exterior mirrors on the car. Instead, a small camera in a low profile just below the base of the A-pillar in the fender you can see its location. I found the idea interesting and actually thought this would be great for the LEO engagements when law enforcement think they can bully motorists into turning off recording devices.

I thought that if the driver was going to be pulled over they simply hit the Hazard [lights] button, which in turn would turn on all cameras and periscope the recording, using your cellular connection to a cloud storage. While LEOs are for the most part against body cams and in-car dash cams, I found the aspect of a camera replacing a mirror as a stealthy concept for using that camera's feed for something else. Here is the Honda EV side view mirror display and the exterior profile.

HondaEV_mirrordisplay.jpghondaatfrankfurt2017-3_result.jpg

I like the idea of driver protection as much as anyone else but I love the notion that one can integrate such a system and make it impossible for a LEO to tell you to turn off your hazard lights, too. Anyone interested in such a system? I like the cloud solution simply because an impounded vehicle makes it hard to access locally stored data files. Automakers could also offer a service in which you activate the Hazard button and a car manufacturer representative is remotely watching the LEO, too. Gosh, that would be amusing and probably hated by certain pedigree LEOs.
 
I think it was late last year during a European auto show that Honda came out with a concept car that was pretty near to the production version of what they were simply calling the EV. In a couple of videos of the interior, there was a continuous set of displays that ran from the driver's side A-pillar to the passenger-side A-pillar. The two segments od displays at the A-pillar were used as 'side mirrors' because there were no exterior mirrors on the car. Instead, a small camera in a low profile just below the base of the A-pillar in the fender you can see its location. I found the idea interesting and actually thought this would be great for the LEO engagements when law enforcement think they can bully motorists into turning off recording devices.

I thought that if the driver was going to be pulled over they simply hit the Hazard [lights] button, which in turn would turn on all cameras and periscope the recording, using your cellular connection to a cloud storage. While LEOs are for the most part against body cams and in-car dash cams, I found the aspect of a camera replacing a mirror as a stealthy concept for using that camera's feed for something else. Here is the Honda EV side view mirror display and the exterior profile.

I like the idea of driver protection as much as anyone else but I love the notion that one can integrate such a system and make it impossible for a LEO to tell you to turn off your hazard lights, too. Anyone interested in such a system? I like the cloud solution simply because an impounded vehicle makes it hard to access locally stored data files. Automakers could also offer a service in which you activate the Hazard button and a car manufacturer representative is remotely watching the LEO, too. Gosh, that would be amusing and probably hated by certain pedigree LEOs.


Two-thirds of the police (66%) and an even larger share of the public (93%) favor the use of body cameras by police to record interactions between officers and the public.

My thoughts as a former LEO? Awesome -- more evidence!

What do you expect to accomplish by having a car manufacturer representative watching?
 
lol... a job that can be done with a small piece of silver-backed glass (i.e. a mirror) replaced by probably $2500 worth of specialty/proprietary equipment.

from a repair POV that makes absolutely no sense.
 
^ Ditto. It's going to be really interesting what bills current vehicle owners face when their digital dash burns out.
 
lol... a job that can be done with a small piece of silver-backed glass (i.e. a mirror) replaced by probably $2500 worth of specialty/proprietary equipment.

from a repair POV that makes absolutely no sense.
I can see a couple of advantages to the camera replacing the outside mirror. You would not have the side mirror blocking forward/side vision, and there would be less air resistance and wind noise. OTOH, expensive to put on the car initially, and I would think it could be damaged easily as well.
 
the only potential benefit would be recording capability... otherwise it's purely a "look what my car has that yours doesn't" feature
 
I can see a couple of advantages to the camera replacing the outside mirror. You would not have the side mirror blocking forward/side vision...

I suspect the opposite is true, as far as purpose and outcome. If you are no longer looking out your window to see that mirror, instead at the dash, it becomes habit and you are LESS likely looking out the window to see things that the camera is not aimed appropriate to see, directly to the side or slight forward orientation with line of sight near the mirror.

In my decades of driving, I have never come near an accident with any object small enough to be hidden behind the outline of a side, rearview mirror, or maybe I have but if it was that small, it just went splat and I never noticed or cared.

Maybe offroading, it would help you to see where your front wheels are positioned by getting rid of the mirror, but then wouldn't you rather have the camera pointed at the near ground in front of the wheels rather than behind you? I suppose switchable camera input to the display would be an option, one that adds even more complexity and expense, and I for one, prefer to take less valuable vehicles offroad if the terrain is significant enough that you're thinking about where your front wheels are.
 
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^ Ditto. It's going to be really interesting what bills current vehicle owners face when their digital dash burns out.
I said the exact same thing when electric, or even gasoline-electrics, started to become popular. Those battery packs are not going to be cheap (~$3-4K, plus installation).
 
I said the exact same thing when electric, or even gasoline-electrics, started to become popular. Those battery packs are not going to be cheap (~$3-4K, plus installation).

They are simplifying overall, though -- complex engines/transmissions are being replaced with electric motors and simple single speed gearboxes.
 
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