Automatic Power Mirrors and Backing Up

[Smart Enuf]

I'd like to suggest future versions of the fortwo be equipped with power side mirrors that, when the shifter is put in Reverse, automatically turn inward and slightly down [shifting back to Drive would automatically put the mirrors in their previous position]. I think this would help quite a bit in parking situations where one is backing up into a space (i.e., it would make the space marker lines more visible). And I think it would also help when simply backing up in many cases, such as when parallel parking.

Because of the smart's (especially the cabrio's) outward visibility, I find it necessary to angle my mirrors outward quite a bit to minimize the blind spots. However, this makes the mirrors in this position virtually useless when backing up since I can't see the back of my car. So I was thinking that a mirror upgrade to automatically angle the mirrors inward when reversing might be helpful.

Any thoughts?

[SmartDigger]

I use a concave round mirror on my vibe which helps out a lot.

[mdfortwoguy]

I think it is something that should be on every car.

I have never curbed my car parallel parking... it's one of those things I am anal over. That being said, I manually turn my passenger side mirror down every time I do it to make sure I don't whack anything. I'd love for it to be automatic like it is in many other vehicles.

[Belleveu1]

Clever me started to back out of my driveway yesterday, missed the side mirror on my Honda wagon, but managed to rub the side of the rear bumper of the wagon with the left side rear of the Smart just aft of the wheel. I had to have my wife get out and start the wagon and move it forward a little. I looked at the Smart and saw some black marks, but they all came completely out when I washed it tonight. I was in too much of a hurry to tilt the mirrors down. The mirrors down when backing could be an interesting EE project.

The one I'm really interested in is tying in the rain sensor with window being down when the car is parked. If it is hot I almost always leave the windows cracked open which has resulted in somewhat wet seats the next morning.

[hartmn]

smart enuf,

This is a great idea and it is already a feature on my 2003 Mercedes Benz. Another poster said is what I also do when parking all of my vehicles is to point the mirror down towards the rear tire.

There are a few other features that I would like to have on the smart car like cruise control, however I have a feeling that smart will always limit the features to the car just because it may loose it's small car price, or some other factors that automobile manufactures want to keep it in line with. I don't know what that would be but I'm sure others here will be able to come up with a few more.

I'm waiting for my crystal white passion with silver cell, fog lights, power steering, extra gauge package 9/27/08 to 12/08 delivery date. yeah! I have never driven a smart cat either

hartmn

[donnyonee]

concave no, convex yes
1 each side on the outer corners of the mirrors

[trev0006]

Originally Posted by SmartDigger

I use a concave round mirror on my vibe which helps out a lot.

same here



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[a2jack]

Two cheap convex mirrors will do the trick. We keep our main mirrors way out.

The little convex mirrors are mounted on the lower INSIDE corners of the main mirror. and see all the way down the side of the car including the rear wheel and even the ground. There are no blind spots at all.

Wife and I share the car and we never have to readjust the mirrors A2Jack

[Smartfor2guy]

Originally Posted by Smart Enuf

Any thoughts?

It would be a whole lot simpler to have a back up camera viewable from the radio screen/gps/dvd player