
Car makers quickly recognized that using plain mirrors for car rear view mirrors will not work. The line of vision was too large to be covered by a plain mirror. Further, the level of accuracy of plain mirrors was not needed for a car driver. Hence, it was decided to modify the glass to enhance breadth of vision and to include as many details as possible within the same mirror. That is the reason why convex glass is used in the center mirror. The auto
side mirror glass too was modified. The driver's side mirror glass was planar as the distance between the lens and the eyes of the driver was too small to be of any consequence. Further, a clear view when seeing into the side mirror glass always gave a psychological boost to the driver.However, this was not possible as far as the passenger's side mirror glass was concerned. This was so because the distance from the driver was too large to facilitate use of a plain glass. That is the reason why this car side mirror glass is convex.
The glass works in perfect coordination with the drivers side mirror glass. For a very long time, this was the standard setup in all automobiles. However, the late 80's and 90's led to revolutionary changes in the manufacturing of automobiles and auto parts. Newer materials which were stronger and lighter began to be used in automobiles. This made it possible for automobiles to reach even higher speeds. Use of alloy in tires and improvements in manufacturing techniques speeded up cars and trucks significantly. Better engine manufacturing made it possible to pack a lot more power into a 6 cylinder engine.
All this meant that it became more important for the driver to be aware of his or her surroundings at all times. The time had come to move beyond ordinary side mirror glasses.
Plain and convex glass for side mirror had been improved to facilitate auto dimming, auto heating and electrical adjustment. The blind spot is no longer something that can be managed with skill. The angle and the installation of mirrors and glasses are being modified to remove all blind spots. In fact, the present trend is to create an overlap.
The number of rear view mirrors increased. The two side view mirrors on the A pillar were supported by mirrors fitted on the hood. Soon, cameras began to be fitted to the rear of the car and the images were transmitted to the rear and side view mirror glass to give the driver a better view. The glass is slowly ceasing to be just a reflective surface and is fast becoming a screen.
Of course, the transition is not complete yet and it is difficult to imagine a car with rear view mirrors that have no glass. The glass will continue to be the best and the simplest failsafe but technology is catching up very fast.You can buy the latest technology products and also the standard sideview mirror glass online at www.automotix.net.