All about auto-dimming rearview mirrors and how they work

Driving at night with glares from the oncoming cars is very irritating and can affect our driving visibility. The glare from cars behind can also affect you because it is reflected by your rear-view mirrors. Glares significantly affect the visibility of drivers and it increases driver fatigue.  Good thing there are auto-dimming rear-view mirrors.

These special rear-view mirrors lessen the glare of light that comes from the trailing vehicles. To further explain what self-dimming mirrors are and what is their purposes, read on this article from Philkotse.com.

How an Auto dimming rear view mirror works

1. The making of auto-dimming mirrors

According to history, auto-dimming mirrors were first made in the 1950s. However, these special rear-view mirrors were first commercially used in the year 1980. One of the leading and most reputed auto-dimming manufacturers is the Gentex.

Auto-dimming mirrors have the capability to reduce glare by dimming the light that reflects the surface. These rear-view mirrors are proven to be very useful when driving at night on heavy traffic roads. It contains a sandwich-type construction and it works on the electrochromism principle. It is made up of plain glass and a mirror.

There are two conductive layers placed on each side of the glass and mirror. Between the conductive layers lie the electrolyte, ion storage, and electrochromic layers.

Auto-dimming mirrors have the capability to reduce glare by dimming the light that reflects the surface.

2. How auto-dimming mirrors work?

These special mirrors darken when it detects a light source, this is all made possible by electrochromism. This is the main reason why auto-dimming mirrors are usually called electrochromic mirrors. The electrochromic material will change color if charged by an electrical current. When a voltage was sent to it, the mirror will darken.

If the voltage is removed, it will lighten. The electrochromic materials that are added to the auto-dimming mirror allow the electric voltage to change the way it reflects and absorbs light.

The following are the major components of an auto-dimming mirror:

• Ambient sensor – ambient sensor, as the name states, senses and detects the ambient light. If the sensor senses low ambient light, it will signal the control unit for it to work.
• Glare sensor – this sensor measures the amount of light that falls on the mirror then sends the corresponding signal to the control unit.
• Control unit – the role of the control unit is to monitor the functioning of the two sensors then decides on lowering the glare.

Dimming mirrors are also called in many names which depends on the way it is made like SPD glass, smart glass, liquid crystal, photochromatic, thermotropic, electro-chromatic and many more. But regardless of the names, it Is called, its main purpose is to turn the glass from clear to colored, opaque or tinted when light is detected.

The electrochromic materials that are added to the auto-dimming mirror allow the electric voltage to change the way it reflects and absorbs light

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3. Why do you need an auto-dimming rear-view mirror?

One major problem about the standard rearview mirror is that it can only reduce the glare by being flipped up. But doing so, will not provide the reflection of what is happening behind which is its main purpose. This will dim everything substantially and is great especially when dealing with inconsiderate drivers behind you, with their lights on high beam.

With the auto-dimming rearview mirrors, you don’t have to flip up the mirror when there’s a presence of bright light behind you because it will dim automatically

However, it will make it difficult for you to see without the presence of the light. Unlike the auto-dimming rearview mirrors wherein you don’t have to flip up the mirror when there’s a presence of bright light behind you because it will dim automatically.

The dimming will also be less pronounced if there is faint light in the mirror because it dims in proportion to the amount of light it is dealing with.

In addition, auto-dimming rearview mirrors are also beneficial since it prevents the so-called Troxler effect. It is some sort of an optical illusion wherein the unchanging stimulus is removed from the driver’s field of vision if you fixate in a particular spot.

This is the reason why during night driving, the glare coming from the bright light will not only blind the driver while the light is still present but it will also create a blind spot in the driver’s vision even if the lights are already turned off. This Troxler effect reduces the reaction time of a driver by more or less 1.4 seconds. 

4. Advantages of automatic dimming mirrors

• It improves night visibility which is often disrupted by glares coming from the lights of other vehicles, especially those cars from behind.
• It promotes safe driving because of enhances visibility.
• It lessens the strain on the eyes which often leads to serious eye damage or impairment of vision.
• It lessens driver fatigue.

Auto-dimming rearview mirrors improve night visibility which is often disrupted by glares coming from the lights of other vehicles, especially those cars from behind.

>>> Related post: How to adjust rear-view mirrors for a safe drive

5. Features of auto-dimming mirrors

These special rear view mirrors have several types. Some of them which include a model that can easily be installed by simply clipping it right over the rearview mirror in the interior.

Some models include a temperature and compass display, while some also have audio driver interface, headlight control sensors, and garage door openers. 

Engineers discovered that the micro-controllers, circuitry, and sensors used in these special dimming rearview mirrors can be effectively combined. It can also be added with additional options and at the same time-saving space and cost.

In addition, different research states that drivers look in the mirror more often compared to the instrumental panels.

Engineers discovered that the micro-controllers, circuitry, and sensors used in these special dimming rearview mirrors can be effectively combined.

6. Importance of auto-dimming mirrors

One of the most recognized problems that cause car accidents is the rearview mirror glare. The rearview mirror is designed to provide the reflection of what’s behind the vehicle, be it a pedestrian, a threat, other cars or anything behind the vehicle.

It also reflects the glare from the trailing vehicle which causes visibility problems for the driver. It can even lead to serious eye impairment. Manually flipping the standard rearview mirror can be both a distraction and hassle on the driver’s part.

This is where the auto-dimming rearview mirror plays an important role. With these special windows, your drivers don’t have to worry about glares anymore as it automatically darkens when it detects bright light. It reduces the glare, allowing better visibility for the driver.

It will also prevent hassle since you don’t have to flip the mirror and it will still provide a better view of what’s behind. It also lessens accidents since you can focus on the driving without glare causing distraction and temporary night blindness.

>>> In case you are a Filippino driver, don't forget to check out our helpful tips and advice for safe driving