Nissan's Video-Streaming Mirror offers a clear view of the road

Leah Gonzalez on March 3, 2014.

The Japanese automotive company is giving the traditional rearview mirror an upgrade by developing a Smart technology that displays a live video feed from a camera located at the back of the car. This will offer a clearer, wide-angle view of the road behind the car even under different weather or traffic conditions, or even if the rear view is obstructed by passengers or luggage in the backseat. The Smart rearview mirror also allows the driver to easily switch from the live camera feed to the standard mirror any time.

The Smart rearview mirror is designed to fit into the standard structure of a rearview mirror and has a built-in LCD monitor that looks like a conventional mirror. A high-resolution narrow-angle camera mounted at the back of the car sends a clear view of the back. The Smart rearview mirror gives a wider view of the back than a standard mirror so it allows the driver to check blind spots and the traffic behind him.

The system includes image processing technologies so that the driver is able to see the live feed with minimal glare from headlights of cars behind it, from the sun rising or setting, and from other bright lights on the road. The system also has different modes, including one that provides the driver with a bird’s eye view when parking in tight spots.

In a press release, Andy Palmer, Chief Planning Officer and Executive Vice President of Nissan, said,

Smart rearview mirror will give our customers the best possible view no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat, or the road conditions. It also offers the possibility of new and exciting designs for our upcoming models because Smart rearview mirror is an alternative to a very wide rear window for good visibility. We’ll have the flexibility to create new shapes, and to further improve aerodynamics for better fuel efficiency.

Nissan will present the Smart rearview mirror at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.