Pivotable Exterior Mirror Camera for Rear Environment Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exterior mirrors on vehicles, when folded, cannot be used to monitor the rear vehicle environment, posing a safety risk at high speeds where drivers need real-time information about the area behind the vehicle to react to potential collisions.
Innovation Solution
A system with a pivotable exterior mirror equipped with a camera that adjusts its field of view from capturing the road surface to the rear environment when the mirror is folded, allowing continuous monitoring of the vehicle's surroundings, including a display unit to visualize the captured data, and an actuator to automatically pivot the mirror based on speed or lane width conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If exterior mirrors are folded to reduce air resistance and fuel consumption, then fuel efficiency improves, but the ability to monitor rear vehicle environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The exterior mirror assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: when extended, it serves as both a reflective mirror and a camera mounting platform for monitoring rear and side environments; when folded, the camera continues to capture images for display on interior displays, providing versatile monitoring capability across different mirror positions
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on the physical mirror surface when folded, a camera captures optical images of the rear vehicle environment that are then displayed on interior displays, creating a visual copy of the mirror's normal function that can be viewed by the driver
2Reliability
If exterior mirrors are extended to monitor rear vehicle environment, then safety improves, but air resistance and fuel consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts mirror position based on driving conditions - mirrors are extended when the vehicle is stationary or moving slowly to provide direct visual monitoring, and folded when moving at higher speeds to reduce drag, with the camera system providing continuous monitoring capability in both states
Solution Approach 2:
The camera creates a visual copy of the rear environment that can be displayed on interior displays, allowing the mirror to be folded for aerodynamic efficiency while maintaining monitoring capability through the captured image copy
3Reliability
If a camera system is added to provide rear monitoring when mirrors are folded, then safety improves, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is integrated into the existing exterior mirror assembly structure, combining the monitoring function with the mirror housing rather than adding a completely separate system, thereby reducing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system serves multiple purposes: it provides monitoring when mirrors are folded, can capture images for display on various interior displays, and integrates with the existing mirror structure, making the added component perform multiple functions to justify its inclusion
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system for detecting a vehicle environment of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one pivotable exterior mirror (2) which can be pivoted between a normal position and a folded position with respect to the vehicle (15), and a camera (3) arranged on the at least one pivotable exterior mirror (2) for detecting the vehicle environment, wherein the camera (3) is arranged on the at least one pivotable exterior mirror (2) such that in the normal position of the at least one exterior mirror (2) a field of view (16) of the camera (3) is directed downwards in the direction of a road surface for detecting an immediate vehicle environment, and in the folded position with respect to the vehicle (15) of the at least one exterior mirror (2) the field of view (18) of the camera (3) is directed backwards counter to the direction of travel for detecting a rear vehicle environment.