In contrast to the regular R8 Coupe, the upcoming production version of the all-electric R8 e-tron has no rear window and therefore no conventional rear-view mirror. To solve this problem, Audi engineers had to put on their thinking caps and come up with a useable alternative.
The solution came in the form of a digital rear-view mirror that works together with a camera and was based on a tried and tested system employed on the brand’s current Le Mans racing cars.
The system includes a 7.7-inch AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) display that is shaped and positioned after a conventional rear-view mirror and which was developed in partnership with Samsung.
According to Audi, the organic materials used in the display are self-illuminating at a low voltage and do not require backlighting, while the screen is more energy-efficient, thinner, and lighter than conventional LCD monitors.
When the night falls or when the car is passing through a tunnel for example, an intelligent control system prevents dazzle from the headlights of other vehicles, with the driver being able to dim or deactivate the display at any time.
The display receives a live video feed from a small and lightweight camera positioned in an aerodynamically optimized and heated in cold temperatures housing right below the third stop light on the roof.
Audi says that the camera uses a lens with a diameter of just a few millimeters and covers a much larger field of vision than a conventional rear-view mirror.
The production R8 e-tron will most likely make its world premiere at this September’s Paris Motor Show and go on sale in a limited number of units next year.
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