Search Results

Glare from the headlights of following vehicles which is reflected in rearview mirrors can be a significant problem. Glare can cause driver discomfort, it can diminish the driver's ability to see, and it can cause driver fatigue, particularly during prolonged night-time driving common for many professional drivers. Conventional rearview mirrors, such as silvered and chromed mirrors, offer only one reflectivity level. Variable reflectance mirrors, such as those utilizing electrochromic and liquid crystal technology, are capable of multiple reflectance levels. With variable reflectance, the driver can select a high reflectivity level during daytime driving or when reversing into loading docks, and can select a reduced dimmer reflectance level when driving during glaring conditions. This paper briefly reviews the principal technologies available for variable reflectance mirrors and outlines their performance as glare-reducing mirrors.

This paper presents a review of the work which has been done on determining appropriate automotive mirror reflectivity levels for good vision as well as glare protection. In addition, its presents the results of two recent studies on the effects of glare on driver vision. In the first, the level is determined at which glare from an interior mirror degrades the driver's forward vision. Four different ambient conditions are included. The second study looks at the effect of mirror transition time on discomfort and disability due to glare. Several current mirror systems are compared to the recommended parameters.