Following the recent announcement of the advanced ProPILOT Assist™ and Rear Door Alert (RDA), Nissan is launching another innovative technology in the 2018 model year – the Intelligent Rear View Mirror (I-RVM). I-RVM adds a built-in LCD monitor within the traditional rearview mirror to help provide clear rearward visibility unimpeded by traditional obstacles such as cargo, tall passengers or the design of a vehicle.
The 2018 Nissan Armada will be the first Nissan vehicle to offer the new I-RVM technology when it goes on sale at Nissan dealerships nationwide in September. Exclusive in the full-size non-luxury SUV segment2, the technology will be standard on the Armada Platinum grade.
The consumer benefits of the I-RVM are many, including “removing” interior obstacles such as oversize cargo and rear headrests, improving visibility in low-light conditions, reducing glare and providing an expanded field of view.
“Not since a magic mirror of children’s fables has a mirror seemed to have such special powers as the new I-RVM,” said Michael Bunce, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “It provides a clear, expanded field of view under a wide range of conditions – giving the driver the best possible view of the rear flanks no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat or how many balloons you have to take to that party.”
The Intelligent Rear View Mirror looks just like a traditional rearview mirror, except it has a built-in LCD monitor that can be activated with the flip of a switch located at the bottom of the mirror – even while the Armada is moving. This allows the driver to access either the conventional rearview mirror reflection (to see, for example, what is happening inside the rear of the Armada), or the new intelligent view as desired.
How I-RVM works
Nissan’s new I-RVM utilizes a high-performance, narrow-angle camera and a specially shaped LCD monitor, with a unique aspect ratio of approximately 4:1, versus conventional monitors’ 4:3 or 16:9. Matching a standard wide-angle camera lens to this monitor could not be done since the images from the camera, when adjusted to the special monitor size, produced a low-resolution image with insufficient picture quality. To overcome this challenge, a narrow-angle camera was developed so that picture quality would not be sacrificed when formatted for the specially designed monitor.
When the LCD monitor and mirror are used in unison, the transparency of the monitor and the reflection in the mirror can create an image overlap – a dual layered effect – making it difficult to get a clean view. But with I-RVM, Nissan applied a special technology to the structural design of the LCD monitor and the mirror, enabling it to function without any image overlaps.
The camera projects an image onto the monitor for a clear view, as well as a more comfortable driving experience.
The high-quality camera and image processing system implemented in the LCD monitor consistently results in a clear image with minimal glare, even during sunrise or sunset conditions or when the vehicle is being followed by a vehicle with strong headlights.
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About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infinitiusa.com, or visit the U.S. media sites nissannews.com and infinitinews.com.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2016, the company sold 5.63 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.72 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world’s best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500 and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault under the Renault-Nissan Alliance since 1999. In 2016, Nissan acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors, which became the third member of the Alliance – a grouping with combined annual sales of almost 10 million units a year.