McLaren to look into better mirrors but why not go further?

[Andy B]

McLaren are to look into improving the mirrors after Lewis's recent collisions but surely mirrors are old hat and new improved methods of rear view are there.

I recently tried a motorcycle helmet which when you looked up above the visor in the helmet there was a optical view facing backwards.
I know they could not do the same but what if you took a rear facing camera and fed that into the drivers helmet so he had a backwards view above the visor as in the motorcycle helmet. It would actually be better than the motorcycle helmet as it would always face backwards.

I make it sound simple which I'm sure its not and I expect there are other issues such as weight but how much does an iPhone or iPod display weigh?
A wide angle view in colour!

I'm sure this must come but who will be first and would they announce it as it is surely an advantage!!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95267

[Jericoke]

Agreed 100%

Entry level passenger cars have rear facing cameras.

Should an F1 car really be behind a Ford Focus in safety technology?

[lkjohnson1950]

Quote from a famous movie: "What's behind me is no important". 

[Monty]

Interesting concept but where the h*ll would they put the screen?

[Scott]

It's not as if they have to see the sky (after all, how big are the mirrors now?).  I'd say a one inch high wide angle screen could go either inside the helmet or even the air deflector above the steering wheel (so we could all see it in an in-car view).  Really, in that sense it's about tome F1 joined the 21st century.

It could change the racing a bit too, because there would be fewer surprise moves if the driver can always see the approach of a chasing car - maybe not for the better.

[John S]

I agree all this tech sounds possible and probably is desirable if the present mirrors are so bad at the job. From my perspective though too much high tech gear and computer involvement leads to neutered and boring racing, we've now got flappy wings to aid overtakes because technology advances made it nearly impossible to get by anyone else. If these new things stop drivers sometimes taking trips into the unknown racing will be the poorer.

Oh and if the drivers no longer have the mirrors as an excuse for getting together on track I wonder how they are going to explain it away?   

   

[cosworth151]

Just before I read this, I saw an article about the rule changes for the ACO (Le Mans Series) next season. Included in those changes:

To improve rearward visibility (with the exception of the LM P1s), the size of the rearview mirrors will be increased, and they must be equipped with a night mode as well as an electrical adjustment system that enables the driver in the cockpit to alter the rearview mirrors to meet his needs. The camera system at the rear will be mandatory on LM GTE cars and allowed on all the others.

Maybe this could help guide F1 in this area.

[lkjohnson1950]

Note that P1 is excepted. 

[Andy B]

Interesting concept but where the h*ll would they put the screen?

As I said earlier with the motorcycle helmet which has a mirror just above the opening for the visor its quite small but the rider/drivers eyes are close to it so it does not have to be big.
It seems Le Man is leading the way!!!

[Scott]

Here is the perfect rear view screen.  Note the clear windscreen - build a TFT version using either one very wide angle camera, or three separate ones for a skinny middle screen and two larger side views.  I think it is perfectly placed so the driver doesn't even have to tilt his head to view.