Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate having a generally planar portion and a display receiving portion, and a display element. The generally planar portion of the mirror back plate is attached at the rear surface of the mirror reflective element. The front surface of the display receiving portion is generally coplanar with the front surface of the mirror reflective element. The display receiving portion is configured so that at least a portion of light emitted by the light source of the display element passes through the display receiving portion and exits the display receiving portion at an angle relative to the front surface of the display receiving portion so that, when the light source is activated, the light emitted by the display element is directed generally toward the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: An imaging system for a vehicle includes a camera, an image processor and a control. The field of view of the camera is in a forward direction of travel of the equipped vehicle, and the camera is operable to capture frames of image data. The image processor is operable to process the image data. The control is operable to adjust a light beam emanating from a forward facing light of the equipped vehicle responsive to image processing of frames of image data. The control, responsive to the image processing, is operable to control at least one of (a) adjustment of a beam direction of a light beam emanating from the forward facing light, (b) adjustment of a visible intensity of a light beam emanating from the forward facing light and (c) adjustment of a range of a light beam emanating from the forward facing light.

Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a unitary indicator module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The unitary indicator module includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting portion of the unitary indicator module. Light emitted by any of the illumination sources passes through the at least partially light transmitting portion for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is responsive to a control signal to indicate to the driver of the equipped vehicle a detected presence of another vehicle at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is operable to indicate a degree of hazard at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a circuit board disposed in a mirror casing rearward of a reflective element. A plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted to the circuit board for providing backlighting for a display element disposed rearward of the reflective element. With at least some of the light emitting diodes electrically actuated to emit light, light emitted by actuated light emitting diodes passes through the display element and through a partially transmissive and significantly reflective region of the reflective element for viewing of displayed information by the driver of the vehicle. Individual light emitting diodes are aligned with respective openings through a light reflecting element disposed between the circuit board and the display element. To the driver of the vehicle viewing the reflective element, the presence of the display element is substantially not apparent until at least one of the light emitting diodes is actuated.

Abstract: An adaptive forward lighting system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor and a control. The imaging sensor includes a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, and monitors a scene forward of the direction of travel of the vehicle. The control processes image data from the imaging sensor. Adjustment between a first beam pattern and a second beam pattern of a headlamp of the vehicle is responsive, at least in part, to the processing of the image data. The control may receive vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus, and may adjust between a first beam pattern and a second beam pattern of a headlamp of the vehicle responsive, at least in part, to the vehicle data. The control may process image data to determine, at least in part, a presence, location or characteristic of an object of interest in the forward field of view of the imaging sensor.

Abstract: A method of forming a mirrored bent cut glass shape includes bending a flat sheet of glass to establish a curved sheet of glass. A machine vision system determines a surface profile of the curved sheet of glass, and a computer numerical controlled cutting tool is positioned at the curved sheet of glass and its cutting wheel is maintained at or close to 90 degrees to the tangential plane of the curved sheet of glass. At least one of (a) the cutting wheel and (b) the curved sheet of glass is controlled in three dimensions to cut a bent cut glass shape from the curved sheet of glass, and such controlling is, at least in part, responsive to the surface profile of the curved sheet of glass. A mirror reflector is established at a surface of the bent cut glass shape to form a mirrored bent cut glass shape.

Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle, a mirror casing secured to the bracket and defining a primary opening, and a single mirror support movably secured within the mirror casing disposed adjacent the primary opening. A primary mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed within the primary opening for providing a view rearward of the vehicle through a primary field of view, and a spotting mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed adjacent the primary mirror. The spotting mirror is defined by a single radius of curvature differing from the primary mirror such that the spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the vehicle, such that the first field of view of the primary mirror overlaps the second field of view of the spotting mirror.

Abstract: A video mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with an electrochromic reflective element. The reflective element has an electrochromic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate and has a transflective third-surface mirror reflector. A video display is disposed to the rear of the reflective element and emits light when actuated that passes through the transflective mirror reflector. The video display includes a thin film transistor video screen that is back lit by a plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes that are operable by a control. The control includes DC to DC conversion circuitry that includes circuitry for converting an ignition voltage of the equipped vehicle to a lower voltage that is closer to the forward voltage applied across individual white light emitting light emitting diodes of the plurality of white light emitting light emitting diodes than the ignition voltage.

Abstract: An exterior sideview mirror system includes an exterior sideview mirror assembly including a plano-auxiliary reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to a side of an automobile. The plano reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element are mounted adjacently at the reflective element assembly in a side-by-side relationship and not superimposed. The plano reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate element. The rearward field of view of the auxiliary reflective element may be different from and angled to the rearward field of view of the plano reflective element. The plano reflective element and/or the auxiliary reflective element may have one of (a) a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

Abstract: A rear vision system for a vehicle includes a rear backup video camera and a display device. A control activates display of captured video images by the display device when a transmission of the vehicle is shifted into reverse gear and deactivates display of the video images upon shifting of the vehicle transmission out of reverse gear once a threshold deactivation condition is met. The threshold deactivation condition is at least one of (a) forward travel of the vehicle exceeding a threshold speed of forward movement after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear, (b) forward travel of the vehicle exceeding a threshold distance of forward movement after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear and (c) a threshold period of time elapsing after the vehicle transmission has been shifted out of reverse gear, the threshold period of time constituting a linger time.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing having a human machine interface thereat. The mirror assembly includes a display device disposed behind the transflective mirror reflector of the interior rearview mirror assembly and visible through the transflective mirror reflector to the driver when displaying information. The display device may include a video screen. The user actuatable input may be actuatable by a user to operate at least one element of circuitry disposed in the mirror casing. The human machine interface may be at least partially at a bezel portion of the casing, or may be at least partially at a rear casing portion of the mirror casing.

Abstract: A rear vision system includes a video camera for capturing video images and a video display disposed in the cabin of the vehicle for displaying the video images captured by the camera. The video camera has a field of view that at least encompasses a vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle. The display displays the video images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle to assist the driver in reversing the vehicle and/or connecting the vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle to a tow hitch connector of a trailer. A graphic overlay may be superimposed on the displayed video images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle to guide or assist the driver when executing a reversing maneuver and/or when connecting a tow hitch connector of a trailer to the vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an attachment element attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield and an interior rearview mirror assembly that includes a mount for attaching the mirror assembly to the attachment element, a housing, a single ball and socket pivot joint, and an interior rearview mirror head adjustable by a driver of the vehicle about the single pivot joint to adjust a rearward field of view. The housing houses a forwardly-viewing camera and, with the interior rearview mirror assembly attached at the attachment element, the forwardly-viewing camera views through the vehicle windshield. The attachment element is a mirror mounting button and a rain sensor is disposed at an inner open central portion of the mirror mounting button and views, via the inner open central portion of the mirror mounting button, through the vehicle windshield.

Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly that includes a mirror reflective element fixedly attached to a mirror back plate attached to a mirror actuator. The mirror back plate includes a display indicator, fixedly secured thereto, having a light source that is activatable to emit light. The display indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of the vehicle and the light source is activated responsive to sensing by the blind spot detection system of an object in a blind spot at a side of the vehicle at which the exterior mirror assembly is mounted. During daytime operation of the vehicle and when the light source is activated and with the exterior mirror assembly mounted at a side of the vehicle, the display indicator, as viewed by the driver of the vehicle, is operable to have a luminance of at least about 5,000 nits.

Abstract: An exterior sideview mirror assembly includes a single mirror backing plate element within a mirror housing. A main plano mirror element and an auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element are supported by the backing plate element. The backing plate element has a generally flat portion for supporting the main plano mirror element and a curved portion for supporting the auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element. The curved portion may be angled relative to the generally flat portion in a manner such that, when a driver of the vehicle aligns the rearward field of view of the main plano mirror element, the rearward field of view of the main plano mirror element may be aligned downwardly relative to the vehicle body side. The main plano mirror element includes a generally flat reflector-coated glass substrate or a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof.

Abstract: An exterior sideview mirror system includes an exterior sideview mirror assembly including a plano-auxiliary reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to a side of an automobile. The plano reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element are mounted adjacently at the reflective element assembly in a side-by-side relationship and not superimposed. The plano reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate element. The rearward field of view of the auxiliary reflective element may be different from and angled to the rearward field of view of the plano reflective element. The plano reflective element and/or the auxiliary reflective element may have one of (a) a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

Abstract: A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a glass substrate and a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion. The auxiliary wide angle curved portion has a curved recess established at a region of the rear surface of the glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating. The curved recess may have a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters, and may have a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters, and may have a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a first imaging sensor having a first forward field of view and a second imaging sensor spaced from the first imaging sensor and having a second forward field of view, which at least partially overlaps with the first forward field of view. A control processes image data captured by at least one of the first and second imaging sensors to determine an object present in the first and/or second forward fields of view. The control is operable to modulate a headlamp of the vehicle responsive to the processing of image data captured by the at least one of the first and second imaging sensors. The control may process image data captured by both of the imaging sensors to determine a distance between the equipped vehicle and an object present in the overlap of the first and second forward fields of view.

Abstract: An interior mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and a display element disposed within a mirror housing and behind the mirror reflective element. Information displayed by the display element, when backlit by a plurality of white light-emitting light emitting diodes, is viewable through the reflective element. The control is operable to vary the intensity of information displayed by the display element as viewed through the reflective element by the driver of the vehicle. When the display element is backlit during daytime lighting conditions, the control is operable to adjust the intensity of displayed information to at least about 1,000 cd/m2 as viewed through the reflective element by the driver of the vehicle. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include circuitry that shares components with the control and at least one other electrically operable feature of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

Abstract: A video mirror system includes an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mountable at an interior portion of a vehicle and a video display screen disposed to the rear of a rear portion of a reflective element. The video display screen emits light when actuated that passes through the transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing the front portion of the reflective element. A camera having a field of view rearward of the vehicle is mounted to the rear of the vehicle and, during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, a video output of the camera is displayed by the video screen so as to assist the driver in reversing the vehicle. The video display screen is operable to display at least one of (i) an instruction, (ii) an icon, (iii) a character, (iv) a symbol and (v) an indicia.