Ficosa has introduced the first product co-developed by Ficosa and Panasonic and hailed it as a significant example of the potential of the alliance between the two companies.
Ficosa says the intelligent rearview mirror (IRMS) has an integrated display in the structure of the interior rearview mirror. It works as a mirror or as a monitor that relays images from the camera located at the rear of the vehicle, according to the driver's needs. Fitment in vehicles is expected at the beginning of 2018.
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An alliance agreement between Ficosa and Panasonic was formalised last year with the Japanese multinational acquiring 49% of Ficosa shares. Both companies have partnered to increase their technological capacity and integrate complementary capabilities.
Ficosa CEO, Javier Pujol, said: "This pioneering product is a significant example of the potential that the alliance with the Japanese multinational offers to us".
The intelligent interior mirror provides a significant added value to the conventional mirror, enhancing the driving experience and increasing safety and driving comfort. This solution extends the rearward field of vision up to a value of 50° (more than double compared to a traditional mirror), which considerably reduces blind spots. It also attenuates the glare and improves visibility in low light areas, Ficosa says.
The camera built into this intelligent mirror is digital and offers a high resolution image. Ficosa has the ability to integrate the camera in various locations of the car according to the preferences of automobile manufacturing companies, either inside or outside the vehicle, it says. This system also includes a Panasonic LCD screen, which is located in the traditional structure of the interior mirror, being able to operate as a mirror or a display that transmits with "razor sharp the images that gathers the camera".
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By GlobalDataThe business unit director of Rear-view Systems, Mercedes Pujol, explains: "In Ficosa we have been working intensively for nine years in the electronic mirror (CMS) research and development, a fact that has given us a valuable know-how to develop IRMS, improving the features of the traditional rearview mirror". She also underlines that "the company offers as an added value the option to integrate into the rearview mirror the Smart Sensor & Camera Cleaning", a completely innovative solution that automatically removes dirt from camera.
IRMS also stands out for its ability to work split screen as a mirror and monitor simultaneously. In this operating mode it can also project the image of other devices integrated in the vehicle as parking camera or even internal cameras to control children, among other devices. Additionally, it will also allow the inclusion of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) in this vision system, giving information about surrounding vehicles to the driver, Ficosa maintains.
Ficosa says it is already working with different car manufacturers on the integration of intelligent interior rearview mirror, customising it according to their requirements. It is expected that the regulation in this field will be approved in a European level by the middle of this year and it is foreseen that vehicles can circulate with this system integrated by the beginning of 2018.
See also: Global light vehicle OE mirrors market- forecasts to 2030
