NO SIDE MIRRORS (Side View Cameras Instead)

[MO Truck]

Next will be small lasers cleaning it.

And they may be heated to keep ice from building up

Advertisement

 

[Matt Hanrath]

One advantage to conventional side mirrors is that if you forget to wipe them off, you can at least reach the driver's side mirror by simply rolling down the window and wiping it off with the edge of your hand.

The other issue with lack of mirrors comes with towing - you want a vantage point for the camera that is at least as wide as the trailer so you can see beyond the trailer which is likely wider than the truck. The cameras will need to be on some kind of extendable stalks.

Finally, with mirrors, you are already typically looking over that same side shoulder. Turning instead to a screen in the center console to see what is beside on your left is going to be a lot of head swiveling and could induce a b it of disorientation.

May be cameras on trailers and magnetic wire harness with signal lights & cameras for towing.

 

[hridge2020]

Or Might be a mini wiper system to clean, heated glass to prevent fogging etc.

 

[Chris_Dejarme]

I am hoping that the side rear view screen is positioned close to where the conventional side mirror should be, only inside the vehicle. As for towing, maybe there will be an aftermarket mountable portable super wide side mirror. I will be be surprised if Tesla will provide more than the cameras; lol, Model 3 did not even came out with floor mats.

 

[Sputter]

One advantage to conventional side mirrors is that if you forget to wipe them off, you can at least reach the driver's side mirror by simply rolling down the window and wiping it off with the edge of your hand.

The other issue with lack of mirrors comes with towing - you want a vantage point for the camera that is at least as wide as the trailer so you can see beyond the trailer which is likely wider than the truck. The cameras will need to be on some kind of extendable stalks.

Finally, with mirrors, you are already typically looking over that same side shoulder. Turning instead to a screen in the center console to see what is beside on your left is going to be a lot of head swiveling and could induce a b it of disorientation.

Interesting point. I would favor cameras only if there was a small screen on say, the left A-pillar and the right side, A-pillar. I most definitely would not approve if the left and right side view was on the same main screen in the center console of the car. That's just goofy. And unsafe.

 

[Cyberpartyboy21]

I would bet the center rear view screen will have left, center and right will high resolution wide angle views. My sister just got a new 2020 Chevy 2500 and the rear view center is a high resolution wide angle. No mirror in the unit at all and it self dims. That vehicle also has HUD, which I really hope is in CyberTruck.

 

[TyPope]

While I do wonder about this, do rearview mirrors stay clean in the same circumstances?

I expect cameras should work about the same as mirrors in adverse conditions, so it is a wash.

In my F350, they do but they are heated.

 

[TyPope]

You are stating the obvious, but mirrors don't lose power. Anyway, I never said I have a preference, only that mirrors cannot lose power (except to turn them I guess). As a mirror they won't fail. That is why I mentioned always being able to turn around and look. If I am a government agency I will look for redundancy in lieu of a mechanical solution, so if Tesla (or any other manufacturer) can provide camera redundancy, then maybe the powers that be will grant them a waiver. I don't know.

Why would the cameras need redundancy? I'm missing something. Is there redundancy for mirrors? No. I suppose you could tape another mirror over a broken/missing one but the car itself doesn't have redundancy. How often do you think the camera will break? I've seen tons of cars without mirrors on the road. They didn't stop driving because the mirror broke. I mean, they are so cheap to replace, why wouldn't they?

 

[TyPope]

I've got it!!!

Seriously... Those triangles that house the rear view cameras... What if they were on, say 12" stalks that deployed outwards when connected to a trailer to allow the cameras a better angle down the sides of the trailer? They could easily calculate the width of the trailer and deploy just enough to see past the trailer. The wide-angle camera view combined with the other ones already around the CT and ONE additional one that connected to the back of the trailer could give you a really good 360 view on the display... lets call it "Towing View". The mirrors would retract when stopped so people don't mess with them.

 

[fritter63]

The reality is.... the side mirror is to make sure there is nobody in your blind spot when changing lanes. I'm not sure you even need a mirror for that, if you have the Tesla animation view that uses (radar?) to show where vehicles are around you. You just need to get in the habit of checking that.

 

[BillyGee]

And they may be heated to keep ice from building up

Just put an air knife in, the truck already has a compressor built in.

 

[Dids]

I've got it!!!

Seriously... Those triangles that house the rear view cameras... What if they were on, say 12" stalks that deployed outwards when connected to a trailer to allow the cameras a better angle down the sides of the trailer? They could easily calculate the width of the trailer and deploy just enough to see past the trailer. The wide-angle camera view combined with the other ones already around the CT and ONE additional one that connected to the back of the trailer could give you a really good 360 view on the display... lets call it "Towing View". The mirrors would retract when stopped so people don't mess with them.

Why not just put additional camera on side of trailor ?

 

[fritter63]

Why not just put additional camera on side of trailor ?

"Only use for Tesla compliant trailers with cameras".

Label on the tow hitch.

 

[Dids]

"Only use for Tesla compliant trailers with cameras".

Label on the tow hitch.

Well just like you can unsafely pull a trailor without extended mirrors.... but perhaps wireless trailor cameras? But doesn't seem like it would be much work to put cameras on trailor If the tractor had the connections...

 

[hridge2020]

Many possibilities