Do you want the US to allow side-view cameras?

Yes, USA should allow this! I've already installed all video mirrors on my car.

@Kerbe #12705 Right. Efficient use of energy in both cases (Ford & Aptera).

When headlight regs were changed, the energy was from liquid fuel.

If rearview regs changed right now, the energy will often be electrical: I just read that in this year's 2nd quarter 10.8% of new cars sold in California were plug-ins!

I read that the logic behind finally dropping old headlamp regulations in the US was energy efficiency. The same logic applies to old rearview regs.

The US is the only developed country without a High Sped Rail system... Now that's a joke!!

Really? Well, at least Canada has universal health care

Please note that, at present, there are only two countries on the planet that have explicitly NOT allowed side-view cameras (in place of mirrors) and those two countries are the US and Canada. Also the last two countries to drop sealed-beam headlamps...

That would be an excellent compromise. I agree the hidden mirrors should be actuated manually or mechanically. Thanks for the feedback John!!

By the way..... have you seen the investor presentation? It includes renderings of the Sol, Noir and Silver models. Also included is Aptera's development timeline. They plan to have a design rendering of a 4 wheel sedan by the end of 2021 with production TBD. After the sedan they want to develop a utility vehicle and eventually a Semi Truck. Sooo cool!!!!

Hey Aptera folk! I'd like to weigh in on the mirror issue. Just an fyi I'm a retired safety specialist from UCLA. My responsibilities included developing and delivering driver safety programs and training.

I love the idea of using cameras to assist with visibility especially the rear view camera and now ... side view cameras. However, I don't support using cameras to REPLACE mirrors. However, I believe they're an excellent supplement to standard review mirrors. I'm concerned that a technical glitch could cause a failure of the camera system.

I see a camera system as another tool to increase visibility of the driver. Considering 90% of the information we process when driving is with the use of our eyes... any tool or technique to help us know what is around our vehicle.

Keep in mind, the recognized driver safety program the Smith System, recommends visually scanning around our vehicle continuously by moving our eyes every 2 seconds and checking a review mirror (or monitor screen) every 3 -5 seconds.

Just my 2 cents... otrain 😎

@Dan Stevens No. Some car's displays may suck (not calling out Tesla by name though) but the Wink was my only mirror in OR on that car, & it was wonderful. It showed everything within the range of a typical new car's lane change assistant. Turning my head very slightly showed everything else:

I looked slightly right to see slightly left of the car & it gave a fantastic view. To see the FAR left I looked VERY slightly left.

One possibly important detail is that it was a panoramic view: When I wanted to see aft I'd look up & the left part of the display showed the left, the middle of the display showed the middle, & the right of the display showed the right.

More examples:

- The view straight behind isn't straight ahead. It's to the right.

- The view for backing up is no longer in back of you (twisting head), it's in front (rearview camera).

posted! This is a big issue as far as I'm concerned

@Dan Stephens My own personal experience differs from your comment:

I had a multi-panel "Wink" rearview mirror, where the panel to the right of the steering column showed outside the left of the car & it was great.

We already do it without even thinking:

- Looking to our right at a normal rearview mirror shows outside the left of the car (as well as the right).

- Looking to our right at a backup camera screen shows outside the left of the car (as well as the right)

- Backing up with no camera we twist all the way to the right in order to see what's outside the left rear (as well as the right).

Submitted. Laughed at the idea of putting a horse in the back seat.

I am indeed one of those unfortunate individuals with severe neck problems. Range of motion is restricted and turning head to see further than 90 degrees to the sides is quite painful. It seems to me that a rear view camera system might be safer for me (and less painful).

So, I sent it in, with this added point of advantage - “Vehicular protrusions can cause damage to other cars, structures and/or people, upon contact”.

Years ago, with older monitors and older cameras, I would have been concerned about using cameras and failure rates. Today, its a pretty solid tech and truthfully, offers a much better view then mirrors do.

Yes, the camera / monitor can break, but then, I've seen many broken side view mirrors on cars as well. Nothing is totally perfect. Just need to be able to fix it if it breaks.

Here is my concern (not calling out Tesla by name though).... The monitors used as the mirror NEEDS to be in a location similar to where the mirror view is, i.e., just inside the door so your head turns the way you are looking. You can't have the mirror monitors in the center console since it causes you to look the wrong way when you are merging, turning, slowing, whatever.

The interior views I've seen of the Aptera mirror monitors appear well placed, in a natural placement for the way you are looking.

Submitted.

Also, if my cameras (or mirrors) failed and I couldn't turn my head due to neck issues, I'd turn on my hazzards and right blinker, accelerate to the pace of traffic and move right slowly. If you inch over and someone is there, they'll generally let you know.

But I'd also say this is extreme edge case planning. What would you do if you were driving and your tie rod snapped giving you no steering? That happened to me once. It was dangerous. But I don't think all tie rods need triple reinforced steel forevermore. Create systems that almost never fail. I think cameras instead of mirrors are an almost never fail system. Just like mirrors instead of cameras are an almost never fail system.

@Kerbe #12705 Rotating my head works fine for me, & I nearly always do that for a quicker, better view than my sideview mirrors* but it doesn't work as well for those with neck problems, or with an Aptera's opaque solar hatch, HOWEVER, looking perpendicular out the side, combined with a good lane change assist system should be quite safe.

I am frequently irritated by how much of my view is blocked by my current rearview mirror. A screen could be mounted higher, above the driver's sight line, since it doesn't need to be low enough to reflect through the rear window. Or maybe it could be mounted BELOW the sight line, possibly even using part of the center screen.

*I removed them from my 240Z, although it did have a panoramic "Wink" mirror which showed all the way past the left edge of the car.

I submitted my comment. Thank you for bringing this to the forum.

Thanks for this. I hope all on the forum will submit and the Aptera "Lobbying" organization take note and act as appropriate

This survey requires a use selection from a drop down list. "What is your comment about"? Recommendations?

This is what I submitted today on their site. Feel free to use and build upon it, as desired.

Dear NHTSA,

There are multiple potential advantages to using camera-based rear visibility systems instead of traditional mirrors. These video systems are of course already pervasively used and increase safety significantly via rear backup cameras. With the proper location and field of view / lens, they can provide the same or better service to replace traditional side and rear view mirrors, as well.

These systems enable the following potential advantages: 1) Improved aerodynamics, which then results in reduced use of gas or electricity. 2) Reduced protrusions, parts, and design factors that can be easily damaged and/or create width and parking issues. 3) Increased opportunities to integrate with head-down and head-up displays within a vehicle. 4) Increased opportunities to integrate with autonomous driving and automated safety features that are becoming more prevalent on vehicles.

Please approve the usage of camera-based rear visibility systems for vehicles throughout the United States.

Thank you.