Patent ID: 7349144

Claim:
An exterior electrochromic reflective mirror element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior electrochromic reflective mirror element comprising: a first transparent substrate having a transparent conductive layer on a surface thereof; a second substrate having a conductive layer on a surface thereof, said conductive layer of said first substrate opposing said second conductive layer of said second substrate in a spaced-apart relationship thereby forming an interpane distance between said substrates; a boundary seal interposed between said first and second substrates spacing apart said substrates and forming a cavity wherein said interpane distance is at least about 10 microns; an electrochromic cross-linked polymeric solid film within said cavity, said electrochromic cross-linked polymeric solid film disposed between and contacting said transparent conductive layer of said first transparent substrate and said conductive layer of said second substrate; said electrochromic cross-linked solid polymeric film formed from an electrochromic monomer composition, said electrochromic monomer composition including at least one cathodic electrochromic compound; said second conductive layer comprising a metallic reflective layer; a visual indicator display disposed to the rear of said second substrate; said visual indicator display being part of a blind spot detection and display system of the vehicle wherein said visual indicator display is actuated to emit light responsive to a detection by a blind spot detection detector of the vehicle of another overtaking vehicle in a side lane adjacent the side of the vehicle equipped with the exterior electrochromic reflective mirror element; and wherein light emitted by said visual indicator display passes through said second substrate, through said electrochromic cross-linked polymeric solid film and through said first substrate to be viewed by a driver of the vehicle equipped with the exterior electrochromic reflective mirror element.