Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head movably attached at a mounting base configured for mounting at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element. An actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the mounting base between at least an extended position and a folded position. The actuator includes a first detent interface that is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the folded or extended position when the mirror head is moved via the actuator to that position. The actuator includes a second detent interface that is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the folded or extended position when the mirror head is manually moved to that position. The second detent interface is not engaged while the actuator moves the mirror head between the folded position and the extended position.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head pivotally mounted at a mounting arm configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a reflective element. A powerfold actuator is operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the mounting arm between at least a folded position and a drive position. The powerfold actuator includes a primary detent that is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the drive position when the mirror head is pivoted via the powerfold actuator to the drive position. The powerfold actuator includes a secondary detent. Following pivoting via the powerfold actuator of the mirror head to the folded position, when the mirror head is manually pivoted from the folded position to the drive position, the primary detent is disengaged and the secondary detent is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the drive position.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror control system includes a plurality of rearview mirror assemblies having variable reflectance mirror reflective elements. An electronic control unit receives image data captured by a rear backup camera of the vehicle. The rearview mirror control system, responsive to processing a first subset of received image data captured by the rear backup camera, determines ambient light rearward of the vehicle. The rearview mirror control system, responsive to processing a second subset of received image data captured by the rear backup camera, determines glare light emanating from a headlight of another vehicle following the equipped vehicle. The first subset of received image data is different than the second subset of received image data. The rearview mirror control system generates an output to control dimming of respective ones of the mirror reflective elements of the plurality of rearview mirror assemblies based on location of the determined glare light.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a powerfold actuator electrically operable to pivot a mirror head relative to a mounting base. The actuator includes a biasing element disposed between an upper housing and an upper end of a pivot tube and releasably retains the powerfold actuator in at least one detent state. An upper detent is disposed radially outboard of the pivot tube and radially inboard of an output gear and a lower detent, and the upper detent includes a detent lip that engages an upper detent surface of the lower detent. When the actuator is in a primary detent state, a spring load path of the biasing element is through the output gear and lower detent to the base. When the actuator is in a secondary detent state, the spring load path is through the detent lip of the upper detent and lower detent to the base.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure, a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate, a heater element, and a blind zone indication module. The heater pad is disposed between the mirror back plate and the mirror reflective element. The blind zone indication module is located at an aperture formed through the mirror back plate. The blind zone indication module includes a housing that houses a circuit element and a light source. The circuit element includes electrically conductive terminals that are in electrical connection with circuitry of the circuit element and that are disposed at a connector portion of the housing that is configured to connect to a wire harness to electrically power circuitry of the circuit element when the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and used at a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head having a mirror reflective element. An electrically-operated actuator includes a first attachment element that attaches at an actuator-mounting bracket of the mounting arm and a second attachment element that attaches at the mirror head. The actuator includes first and second motors that are electrically operated to cause adjustment of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm about respective first and second pivot axes. A mounting post of the mounting arm passes through an opening of the mirror head, the opening providing clearance between the mirror head and the mounting arm to allow movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm during electrical operation of the actuator when the base mounting portion of the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior portion of the side door of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror reflector, a mirror back plate, and indicator element. The indicator element includes a housing and a light source. The indicator element is associated with a blind spot detection system of the vehicle and includes a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the light source. An icon is established through a metallic reflector coating disposed at the glass substrate. The icon includes a light-transmitting aperture. When the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle, the icon is at an upper quadrant of the mirror reflective element. When the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle and when the light source is activated, the icon is illuminated and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element and an illumination module that includes an illumination source and a freeformed lens optic. When the illumination source is operated to emit light, emitted light passes through the freeformed lens optic. The freeformed lens optic is configured such that, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a side of a vehicle, light emitted by the illumination source that passes through the freeformed lens optic provides ground lighting that illuminates a ground region located at the side of the equipped vehicle. The ground lighting includes (a) ground illumination of the illuminated ground region and (b) within the ground illumination of the illuminated ground region, a logo formed by the freeformed lens optic. The logo formed by the freeformed lens optic has a light intensity greater than any light intensity of the ground illumination of the illuminated ground region.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head, a mirror mounting structure configured to adjustably mount the mirror head at an interior portion of the vehicle, and a receiving portion for receiving a portable accessory module. A retaining element is configured to attach at the mirror casing at the receiving portion to releasably secure the portable accessory module at the receiving portion. With the retaining element at least partially detached from the mirror casing, the portable accessory module is insertable into and removable from the receiving portion. With the portable accessory module inserted into and received at the receiving portion and with the retaining element attached at the mirror casing, the retaining element overlaps a lower portion of the portable accessory module to secure the portable accessory module at the receiving portion.

Abstract: A method for assembling a mirror reflective element sub-assembly for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes providing a support fixture having locator pins disposed at apertures thereof and protruding therefrom. The locator pins are received through corresponding apertures of a heater pad and through corresponding apertures of a back plate to align the back plate at the heater pad at the support fixture. A mirror reflective element is attached at the back plate and heater pad construction, and that construction is disposed at a laser ablation fixture, whereby the locator pins of the laser ablation fixture are received through the apertures of the back plate to align the construction at the laser ablation fixture. After an indicator icon is laser ablated through the mirror reflector, the construction is removed from the laser ablation fixture, and an indicator module is snap attached at a receiving portion of the back plate.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle. A distal end portion of the mounting arm is at an angle relative to a proximal end portion of the mounting arm at the interior portion of the vehicle. An attaching element is fixedly disposed at the distal end portion. A mirror housing includes an aperture, and the mounting arm of the mounting structure passes through the aperture without making contact with the mirror housing. A reflective element is attached at an attachment plate disposed within the mirror housing. A motorized actuator is mounted at the attachment plate at the reflective element or at the attaching element at the distal end portion of the mounting arm. The motorized actuator is electrically operable to adjust the reflective element and the mirror housing together and in tandem relative to the mounting structure.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a base portion configured to mount at an exterior door handle region of a vehicular door of a vehicle, a handle portion, and a sensing module that includes a light emitter and a light sensor. With the base portion of the handle assembly mounted at the exterior door handle region of the vehicular door, the light emitter is episodically energized to emit light. When the light emitter is not energized to emit light, the light sensor senses ambient light at the handle portion, and when the light emitter is energized to emit light, the light sensor senses emitted light emitted by the light emitter. The sensing module determines presence of a person's hand at the handle portion based at least in part on a difference between the sensed ambient light and the sensed emitted light being below a threshold light level.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a base portion configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle, a mirror head having a mirror reflective element, and an actuator within the mirror head. When the mirror actuator is electrically operated, the mirror actuator moves the mirror head and the mirror reflective element together and in tandem relative to the base portion. The mirror reflective element is adhesively attached at a mirror back plate. The mirror back plate is attached at a head mounting plate, which is attached at the mirror actuator. A service recess is at and between the mirror back plate and the head mounting plate and is accessible from exterior the mirror head. The service recess is configured to enable detachment of the mirror back plate, with the mirror reflective element adhesively attached thereto, from the head mounting plate.

Abstract: A vehicular lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed thereat. The light module includes at least three forward illuminating illumination sources that, with the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, are arranged spaced apart at the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly. With the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the at least three forward illuminating illumination sources, when powered, emit light at least in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle. The light module includes a turn signal indicating illumination source and a light piping element. The light piping element guides light emitted by the turn signal indicating illumination source along the light piping element so as to emanate from the light module at an outboard portion of the mirror casing.

Abstract: A vehicular video camera display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and an electro-optic reflective element, with a video display device disposed in the casing behind the electro-optic reflective element. With the interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior cabin portion of the vehicle, a video display screen of the video display device is operable to display video images that are viewable through the electro-optic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. A rearward-viewing video camera is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and views at least rearward of the vehicle. Control circuitry is disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. Image data captured by the rearward-viewing video camera is communicated from the rearward-viewing video camera via a twisted pair wire to the control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly.

Abstract: A vehicular frameless interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting portion. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing. The mirror reflective element includes a glass substrate having a planar front side and a planar rear side. No portion of the mirror casing overlaps the planar front side of the glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. A camera is disposed within the mirror casing. With the mounting portion of the mirror assembly mounted at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, the camera views a driver of the vehicle, and when the mirror head is moved by the driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward view provided by the mirror reflective element to the driver, the camera moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head. The camera is part of a driver monitoring system of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head disposed at a mounting structure and having a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element. An indicator module is disposed at a rear portion of the mirror reflective element and includes a housing having an indicating portion and a connector portion, a circuit board disposed in the indicating portion and having circuitry and a light source. The circuitry includes electrically conductive terminals extending from the circuit board and disposed at the connector portion of the housing. An electrical connector has a connecting end that is received in the connector portion of the housing to electrically connect to the electrically conductive terminals. An anti-backout element is disposed at the connector portion. With the electrical connector received in the connector portion, the anti-backout element is positioned at the electrical connector to preclude backing out of the electrical connector from the connector portion.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior lighting assembly includes a plurality of lighting devices. The plurality of lighting devices includes a first lighting device operable to emit light for a first lighting function and a second lighting device operable to emit light for a second lighting function. A plurality of micro-LEDs of the lighting devices are disposed at electrically conductive traces of at least one flexible circuit element. Packing density of the micro-LEDs at the at least one flexible circuit element is at least 10 micro-LEDs per square centimeter. Each individual micro-LED of the plurality of micro-LEDs when operated to emit light passes less than 4 mA electrical current. With the vehicular exterior lighting assembly attached at an exterior portion of a vehicle, light emitted by the first lighting device and light emitted by the second lighting device, when operated to emit light, is viewable exterior the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. The front glass substrate includes a specularly reflective perimeter layer at least partially around a perimeter border region of the rear side of the front glass substrate. At least one light source is disposed behind the perimeter layer. With the vehicular rearview mirror assembly mounted at the vehicle and when the at least one light source is electrically powered, the at least one light source emits light that passes through the perimeter border region of the second side of the front glass substrate and that is visible to a viewer viewing the first side of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic reflective element at the perimeter layer.

Abstract: A vehicular lighted exterior door handle system includes a lighted exterior door handle assembly having a light module, which includes a circuit board and at least three linearly arranged illumination sources at the circuit board. When the illumination sources are actuated, light emitted by each of the illumination sources is emitted outboard away from the door of the equipped vehicle. With the lighted exterior door handle assembly mounted at the door of the equipped vehicle, and when the illumination sources are actuated with the door of the equipped vehicle unlocked, the light module emits light in a first pattern. With the lighted exterior door handle assembly mounted at the door of the equipped vehicle, and when the illumination sources are actuated with the door of the equipped vehicle locked, the light module emits light in a second pattern that is different from the first pattern.