Nissan removes blind-spots
In-dash image shows all-round view
No problems parking there, then...
Rear view cameras are becoming more common, to eliminate the reversing blind spot of what’s beneath your rear window. But there’s a second blind spot along both sides of the car. To eliminate this, side mounted cameras need to be fitted.
Nissan said it is now testing front mounted cameras too, which gives the driver an image on the dashboard mounted monitor as if he or she were looking down onto the car. It also shows up everything around it.
Cameras mounted at the front and rear and on both sides take pictures of the surrounding road surface, which are synthesized by an image processing technique into one view that is shown on a central display. The system is especially helpful when parking, enabling the driver to steer easily and precisely into a parking space. It also eliminates any fear of running over the neighbour’s prized belongings or posts or animals or anything else for that matter.
Nissan hasn't released a date for the arrival of the technology but tried to be coy by suggesting that its upmarket Infiniti brand is due to arrive in Europe before 2008, starting with Russia.
What the world actually needs is some kind of electrical device, that delivers a measured live voltage via the metal interior door release handle, to any adjacent parked car occupant, who carelessly opens his door and makes contact with your vehicles paintwork....
pdV6 said:
What's wrong with setting your mirrors correctly to reduce blind spots as far as possible?
Nothing wrong with that. I agree.
However, the driver who very nearly knocked me off the bike on the M25 last week, because they were too tired or distracted to check their blind spot, would have been helped with a system like this. So it gets my vote.
Everyone makes human errors, even the best trained of us, and sometimes technology can help.
What I find more frustrating is the increasing number of in-car gadgets that distract drivers from driving (hands-free phones included).
Mark_SV said:
However, the driver who very nearly knocked me off the bike on the M25 last week, because they were too tired or distracted to check their blind spot, would have been helped with a system like this.
Have to disagree. If they're numpty / tired / distracted enough not to check their mirrors / blindspots then they're hardly likely to check their dash-mounted screen either...
pdV6 said:
Have to disagree. If they're numpty / tired / distracted enough not to check their mirrors / blindspots then they're hardly likely to check their dash-mounted screen either...
Who's a numpty? Who doesn't get tired? People may have just passed their driving test the day before, may not have driven for months until today, may be driving abroad ...
I formerly coached advanced car driving and you'd be amazed how inconsistent people are. Some people may be perfect at checking their main mirror, but miss checking their right-side mirror before turning right (which can be a very dangerous mirror check to miss, of course.) Others may be better at checking one side mirror over another. I always check my blind spot, but who hasn't missed a check during their entire driving career?
In my experience of coaching others, very few people are numpties. Driving involves many skills, e.g. steering, observation, gear choice, anticipation, acceleration sense, braking, forward planning, overtaking ... etc. Without further training, the vast majority of people are good at some things and poor at others.
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