Coming to Japan This Spring as a Dealer Option

The "Smart Room Mirror" that Nissan is unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show features a novel hybrid mechanism that can be used as a rearview camera or, with a switch, as a conventional mirror.

The system works by displaying a clear image from a high-resolution, narrow-angle 1.3-megapixel camera installed on the rear window onto a liquid crystal monitor. This provides an unobstructed view of the rear and vehicles approaching from the sides, even with many passengers or a high-stacked load.

Furthermore, it delivers vivid rearward images in various conditions, including inclement weather, twilight, and nighttime. By employing advanced camera control and image processing programs, it mitigates glare and maintains visibility even with the harsh sunlight of dawn and dusk or the headlights of following vehicles.



Normally, when a liquid crystal monitor and a mirror are used in superposition, light from behind can cause ghosting due to reflection from the mirror and transmission through the monitor. However, the Smart Room Mirror avoids this issue through an ingenious internal structure, allowing for seamless switching between the liquid crystal monitor and a conventional mirror.

A system that displays images from a rear-mounted camera on the rearview mirror was first installed by Audi in a production vehicle, the "R8 e-tron," in 2012.Audi's world-first installation in a production carHowever, that was an alternative solution because the rear window was replaced with CFRP, which obstructs visibility. The Smart Room Mirror can be considered a further evolution as a safety device, enhancing visibility through digital processing of images.

Nissan has been considering its global adoption since 2015 and plans to launch it first in the Japanese market as a dealer option this spring. It is also slated for use in the "ZEOD RC," which is scheduled to compete in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, and in racing cars developed by NISMO.