Patent ID: 8282225

Claim:
A vehicle mounted mirror system to automatically reflect light from a vehicle blind spot toward a driver, comprising: a primary mirror having a first surface and a second surface, a convex mirror adjacent said second surface; said convex mirror located to provide operator viewing of objects from said blind spot; an electrically polarizable reflective coating on at least a portion of its-first surface overlaying said convex mirror; said polarizable reflective coating being reflective in a depolarized state and substantially clear when polarized by an electric current applied thereto; and a blind spot detection system electrically connected to the primary mirror and a power source adapted to automatically apply current to polarize said primary mirror first surface overlying said convex mirror when an object is detected in a blind spot and change the reflectivity of the reflective polarizable coating on at least a portion of the primary mirror first surface and expose the convex mirror to reflect light from the blind spot to the vehicle driver to permit the driver to see the object in the blind spot; said blind spot detection system discontinuing current to the primary mirror thereby depolarizing the mirror surface over the convex mirror once an object has passed out of the blind spot.