Luxury automaker BMW is no stranger to innovation, and now it has unveiled its i8 Mirrorless concept at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past weekend.
The new concept features a completely new system that utilizes three small cameras. Their footage is digitally stitched together and presented on a screen where the rear-view mirror is normally mounted.
Cameras sport dirt-repellent Gorilla Glass lenses and two are even aerodynamically optimized to ensure clear image capture. While two are mounted in wing-shaped holders on the door, the third is hidden above the rear windshield.
Replacing the rear-view mirror is an 11.8-inch wide by 2.9-inch tall screen, which is slightly larger than a traditional mirror. Drivers are offered an unobstructed panoramic view around and behind the car, and cameras even detect smaller obstacles like motorcycles and bicycles.
The Munich-based company’s new cameras have additional features like angle widening for turns and don’t have any glare. However federal and state laws still require physical mirrors, so BMW might have to wait for the government to catch up to their new tech.