2019 Lexus ES is first mass-produced car to replace side mirrors with cameras
09-12-18, 11:52 PM
#31
Lexus Test Driver
Not a fan: I feel like another screen near or close to me is another distraction...we already have cell phone nav screens, infotainment screens, some folks have a Heads Up Display options, a mini-info screen on the driver dash, and now we have another screen to view the side mirrors. Yikes!
09-12-18, 11:54 PM
#32
Lexus Test Driver
It looks okay on the green car, but looks like an alien armature in the other pics. Rather see them rethink it.
09-13-18, 02:56 AM
#33
Pole Position
I know where to put it but I've been out to automotive industry for so long so I'm kind of lazy to go and patent the whole thing in US, Berlin and Hong Kong if I'm not going to try to make money out of it only to get screwed up anyway. Let them figure it out. This what we see here is a half-product.
Wherever you put it reasonably in line with the driver's vision, you are going to block at least some of the view out the windshield itself.
09-13-18, 06:14 AM
#34
Nice point. +1
I also want to add onto this. Does the Lexus ES feature the tech that warns you if an oncoming biker/car/runner is coming when the Lexus ES is off and parked? So you don't open the door and hit someone or get hit? A lot of people use the mirrors on the side to check for oncoming traffic before opening the door.
For this tech to work - you have to have this feature. Or it'll be a pain to get out of your car.
I also want to add onto this. Does the Lexus ES feature the tech that warns you if an oncoming biker/car/runner is coming when the Lexus ES is off and parked? So you don't open the door and hit someone or get hit? A lot of people use the mirrors on the side to check for oncoming traffic before opening the door.
For this tech to work - you have to have this feature. Or it'll be a pain to get out of your car.
09-13-18, 07:28 AM
#36
The pursuit of F
Nice point. +1
I also want to add onto this. Does the Lexus ES feature the tech that warns you if an oncoming biker/car/runner is coming when the Lexus ES is off and parked? So you don't open the door and hit someone or get hit? A lot of people use the mirrors on the side to check for oncoming traffic before opening the door.
For this tech to work - you have to have this feature. Or it'll be a pain to get out of your car.
I also want to add onto this. Does the Lexus ES feature the tech that warns you if an oncoming biker/car/runner is coming when the Lexus ES is off and parked? So you don't open the door and hit someone or get hit? A lot of people use the mirrors on the side to check for oncoming traffic before opening the door.
For this tech to work - you have to have this feature. Or it'll be a pain to get out of your car.
09-13-18, 07:39 AM
#38
Dysfunctional Veteran
I have an idea...we should reinvent the wheel while we are at it. 
It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't look like such an afterthought. I am being nice...I really can't say what I think it looks like on the forums.
It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't look like such an afterthought. I am being nice...I really can't say what I think it looks like on the forums.
09-13-18, 01:12 PM
#40
Lead Lap
But this extra viewing screen is of what's going on around you- a good thing. Precisely the thing people who are fiddling with their phones are not getting. It's the same info you get from looking at a mirror, except it's a screen inside the car. There is no big difference.
That image of posted by fellow member/moderator Hoovey2411 shows a fairly busy screen-based interior BEFORE the addition of the side mirror screens. Again, i'm not saying I wouldn't be able to adapt to this if it somehow became a standard, but there are lots of challenges regarding these camera's positioning, screen size, dimensions, proper resolution, image perspective/presentation, viewpoint, viewing angles, distance perception (are objects in the screen closer than they appear?), how does foggy/wet/snowy/dirty camera lens affect the image, any split second delay, etc.
Toyota is a champion of quality assurance/testing and i'm sure the tech has gone through all of this scrutiny but its fairly new to the market so lets see how the consumer market responds...thats the real test!
09-13-18, 01:25 PM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
there is a very good video outlining the benefits, of which there are many
https://youtu.be/HZ98z6q2_2I
https://youtu.be/HZ98z6q2_2I
09-14-18, 03:10 AM
#42
But yeah, this will be on ES Luxury model only as extra cost... but looks way more useful than 360 cameras for instance.
09-14-18, 05:34 AM
#44
Super Moderator
The video shows the benefit when the car is on and in motion, namely zoom capability and a wider field of view than a mirror. However, car off (to not drain battery), driver or passenger waiting in car in a parking lot, driveway, etc - how does one see at the side back, especially for a passenger?
