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This is one of the lessons that every experienced driving instructor tells their students at the very beginning - be aware that objects in the side mirror are actually closer than they appear. And if the student is curious, the next question that may arise is: "Why so?"
The answer lies in the design of the car's side mirrors. They are convex, that is, they have an outwardly curved shape. The advantage of this shape is that it provides the driver with a wider field of view, allowing him to see more potential threats. This is a security improvement.
For the same reason, convex mirrors are often installed at the ends of driveways or at complex intersections to help people see around corners. These mirrors have a pronounced fish-eye shape compared to car mirrors.
The disadvantage of the convex shape is that it distorts the size of the displayed objects. This changes the driver's perception of the distance between the object and the car, creating a potential hazard if the driver is unaware of this effect.
If the car behind you looks far enough away, you may be tempted to change lanes quickly, when in reality there is not enough safe distance between you. In many countries, the warning "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" is often engraved on the side mirrors of the car as a constant reminder to be careful when performing such maneuvers.
Is there a type of mirror that could be something in between? People certainly tried to create such a mirror - in particular, Dr. R. Andrew Hicks, professor of mathematics at Drexel University in Pennsylvania.
In 2012, Hicks was awarded a US patent for a mirror created using an algorithm involving tens of thousands of calculations. This mirror had a viewing angle of 45 degrees with minimal distortion.
"Imagine that the surface of the mirror is made up of many small mirrors turned at different angles, like a disco ball," Hicks said in a statement at the time.
"The algorithm is a set of calculations that change the direction of each surface of the metaphorical disco ball so that each ray of light reflecting off the mirror shows the driver a wide but not overly distorted view of the scene behind them."
Unfortunately, the mirror doesn't look like a disco ball when you look closely, but all things considered, that's probably for the best - disco ball mirrors would be very distracting.
