Automotive Mirror Size Requirements Based on Field of View Considerations

The results of a two mirror computer model of automotive rear vision based on a minimum field of view approach are presented. A system of conventions for the rear vision target, minimum field of view, head positioning, mirror orientation, and head rotation is used to parameterize computer results in terms of the position of the center of the inside mirror and the left outside mirror. General results for the minimum horizontal mirror size and driver head turn required to see the target are presented. Superimposed on the results are several existing automotive models.

A sensitivity analysis is performed to indicate the sensitivity mirror size to various parameters in the model. The results indicate that the mirror size is particularly dependent on the transverse eye-mirror distance.