A vehicle inspection device includes a camera mounted to a power folding side-view mirror provided to a vehicle, the camera being configured to switch between an exterior image capture state in which an exterior of the vehicle is within an image capture range and an interior image capture state in which an interior of the vehicle is within the image capture range, while the side-view mirror performs an opening/closing operation between a completely open state and a closed state, and a vehicle processor that executes a vehicle image capture process of capturing an image of the exterior of the vehicle by the camera when the camera has entered the exterior image capture state due to an operation of the side-view mirror, and capturing an image of the interior of the vehicle by the camera when the camera has entered the interior image capture state due to an operation of the side-view mirror.

A rear view device for a motor vehicle includes a mirror base which is mountable on the vehicle and which supports a mirror head with a housing, the mirror head being movable relative to the mirror base using at least one power-fold unit, and includes at least one support or housing element for mounting at least a part of the power-fold unit in a mounting area. The at least one element may include at least one foamed polymer part at least partly within the mounting area. A motor vehicle may include such a rear view device.

A detection system designed to be mounted in a first vehicle. The detection system has a detection device configured to detect the presence of a second vehicle in a detection zone of the first vehicle, an alert device configured to generate a first stimulus perceptible by the driver of the first vehicle if a second vehicle is present in the detection zone, and a monitoring device configured to detect a reaction by the driver of the first vehicle in response to the first stimulus. The alert device is configured to generate a second stimulus in case of reaction by the driver of the first vehicle in reaction to the first stimulus.

A method for assembling a mirror reflective element sub-assembly for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes providing a support fixture having locator pins disposed at apertures thereof and protruding therefrom. The locator pins are received through corresponding apertures of a heater pad and through corresponding apertures of a back plate to align the back plate at the heater pad at the support fixture. A mirror reflective element is attached at the back plate and heater pad construction, and that construction is disposed at a laser ablation fixture, whereby the locator pins of the laser ablation fixture are received through the apertures of the back plate to align the construction at the laser ablation fixture. After an indicator icon is laser ablated through the mirror reflector, the construction is removed from the laser ablation fixture, and an indicator module is snap attached at a receiving portion of the back plate.

A side-facing brake light assembly, including a left side-facing brake light incorporated into a left side view mirror and a right side-facing brake light incorporated into a right side view mirror, the left and right side-facing brake lights operable by an electrical circuit. Both the left side-facing and right side-facing brake lights are positioned and directed such that drivers and pedestrians on both the right side and the left side of the vehicle can see when the brakes of the vehicle have been applied, especially useful as the vehicle approaches an intersection. The side-facing brake light apparatus of the invention more effectively communicates the intention of the driver as he/she approaches the intersection, thereby increasing the safety of other drivers and pedestrians. The side-facing brake light apparatus of the invention helps to avoid serious collisions, property damage, and loss of life due to misunderstandings of other drivers and pedestrians.

A system, method, and computer readable medium may include technology to enable optimal usage of automotive virtual mirrors. A gaze detector monitors a driver's eyes to determine if the driver is looking in the direction of a virtual mirror. If the driver is not looking in the direction of virtual mirror, all virtual mirrors are placed in a low operational mode. If the driver is looking in the direction of a virtual mirror, the virtual mirror being viewed is placed in a high operational mode and all other virtual mirrors are placed in the low operational mode.

A method for extending and retracting a mirror head of an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes providing an exterior rearview mirror assembly having (i) a mounting base, (ii) a mirror head having a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element and (iii) an electrically-operated actuator. The mirror head is adjustably mounted at the mounting base via first and second links, with the links having respective base ends that pivotally attach at the mounting base and respective head ends that pivotally attach at the mirror head. The actuator is operated to pivot the first link to move the mirror head relative to the mounting base from a retracted position toward an extended position. As the mirror head moves toward the extended position, the first and second links pivot at their respective base ends relative to the mounting base and at their respective head ends relative to the mirror head.

An image processing device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a first image based on captured image data output from an image capturing unit that captures a surrounding situation of a vehicle; an intermediate image generating unit that generates a second image by executing an intermediate image generating process of executing a viewpoint converting process of converting the first image from a viewpoint of the first image into a viewpoint of a final image displayed on a display area of a display device and changing a number of pixels of the converted image to a second number of pixels larger than a final number of pixels of the final image; and a final image generating unit that executes a reduction process such that the second number of pixels is set to the final number of pixels.

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflector sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate, a heater pad, and a blind zone indication module that includes a plastic housing. When at least one light emitting diode of the blind zone indication module is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode exits the blind zone indication module via a light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing. With the blind zone indication module disposed at the mirror reflective element, and with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing juxtaposed with a light-transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the mirror reflective element and illuminates an icon of the mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly.

An improved video-based rear-view mirror system for vehicles including motorcycles (but also with application to other vehicles including cars, trucks, bicycles, and so on) includes at least one digital display screen configured to be mounted in a side-mirror positioned unit; and at least one camera unit coupled to the digital display screen, such that the digital display screen is configured to display video data captured by the camera unit; wherein the system is configured such that the video data displayed by the at least one display screen is tuned to provide a side-mirror proxy view.