Apple Patents Car Mirror Glass Replacement Technology With Camera And Projection To Front Glass

Apple patents rearview mirror technology (photo: x @HalaBughazi)

JAKARTA - The Apple Car project may have been discontinued, but there is still a possibility that Apple's technology will be applied to cars produced by other companies. One of Apple's interesting patents is the technology to replace car rearview mirrors with cameras, whose images are projected into the windshield.

Previously, the Apple Car project which lasted more than a decade was officially discontinued in February. This announcement was made by Apple's COO, Jeff Williams, and Kevin Lynch, who have been leading the project since 2021. The decision came after the project hit a "make-or-break" point inside Apple, where Apple CEO Tim Cook is also facing pressure from shareholders to make decisions.

Even if the project is discontinued, patents related to cars continue to emerge, raising questions about what will happen with this potential technology. Will Apple just let it go, or will it try to recover investment from Project Titan by selling patents or licenses to automakers?

The idea of replacing rearview mirrors with cameras is nothing new. Honda has launched this system as an option in 2019. However, the current system features a camera feed on the dashboard screen. Apple's patent, which was revealed by Patently Apple, proposes projecting the image directly into the windshield.

According to Apple, drivers should look in another direction from the windshield to check the rearview mirror before changing lanes, braking, or taking other action. If not careful, the risk of collision can increase when the driver is not focused on the windshield to check the rearview mirror.

The camera also has several other advantages over rearview mirrors. First, the camera can reduce barriers, which have an impact on fuel efficiency and better travel distance. The camera also provides a wider perspective, so it can reduce or even eliminate blind spots.

In addition, the camera offers clearer visibility in bad weather conditions, such as rain, and can remove the glare from the headlights at night. Night vision in general is also better because the camera can adjust exposure. In fact, there is potential for automatic dip into threats, and of course a slimmer look.

Apple has come up with a lot of cool ideas over the course of more than ten years of working on car projects. Some examples include Apple Car patents that describe a really smart in-car lighting, Apple self-driving car patents that illustrate how cars can determine driver goals, the external Apple Car display that can use hi-viz technology to advise other road users, as well as the pullable steering wheel and pedal patented by Apple for Level 4 autonomous cars.

The fact that patents continue to appear doesn't mean the company is still working on the technology. The patent application takes time, and is most likely just in the process. However, it would be unfortunate if all these innovations just disappeared. So, it would be great if Apple sold or licensed some more attractive patents to existing car manufacturers.