While many folks consider driving to be a pleasurable experience, the harsh reality is that there are many distractions that can ruin one’s rhythm while behind the wheel. There are the irritating motorcycles that cut you from every which way, the gridlocked streets, and your own vehicle’s blind spots—such s A-pillars.
While nothing much can be done to help temper the first two examples, car companies like Toyota Motor Corporation may just have a solution to help with the blind spots. Toyota has just filed a patent for a transparent A-pillar. The patent, entitled Apparatuses and Methods for Making an Object Appear Transparent uses mirrors to bend images around a vehicle’s pillars.
The technology, Toyota notes, can help reduce or even eliminate blind spots by allowing drivers to see through the pillars. This can greatly increase visibility during cornering, for instance, as the usual A-pillar obstructions are eliminated.
It’s no secret that a lot of cars, particularly those with steeply raked windshields, tend to hamper side visibility due to the positioning and thickness of the A-pillar. Then there are the really thick C- or D-pillars found on a lot of sedans and crossovers. Sure, these cars may look god but they are admittedly an accident waiting to happen.
With the new technology, Toyota can help drivers see better and even give one a full view of one’s surroundings. One will be able to see a corner or a biker in the next lane more easily. No more guesswork and even costly blind spot monitors could be taken out of the equation.
Moreover, designers could have the utmost freedom when sketching their next supercar or crossover. No thick A-pillars can translate to more bold renderings that still allow drivers to get behind the wheel with total confidence.
Expect to see the transparent pillars on Toyota vehicles within the next few years.
