Ford Fights Blind Spots
Ford apparently just realized that blind spots in rear-view mirrors are an issue for drivers. In a move to get out in front on this brave new challenge to modern motoring, Ford will be offering special blind spot viewing mirrors on the upper corner of side-view mirrors. That's right, drivers of America, what you once had to pay ten bucks for at Autozone will now come as standard feature "on a few Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models to start, eventually making them standard across most of its lineup." But if cheap, uninspired solutions to the silent killer we call blind spots aren't for you, maybe you'd prefer something overly complicated and gimmicky? Ford has you covered there too, announcing an optional radar-based blind spot warning system as a (doubtless) expensive option on select models. With a little light on your rear view mirror to warn you that an intruder has penetrated your blind spot sector, your "Cross Traffic Alert" system will ensure that you never have to be aware of traffic around you ever again.
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I can see this being useful for a large truck, but I'd find them annoying on my car and I'd almost certainly remove them. There's nothing I can't see by looking in two locations: mirror and side window. Why would I want to have to look at three locations every time I change lanes? Kurt B, you must have different mirrors than I. The mirrors on my '04 Mazda3 are fine.
I used to have my mirrors adjusted in such a way that I saw the side of my car mostly. Then I read an article about how to adjust them correctly to see the blind spot. It works great. They should educate people more about how to adjust the mirrors. Another problem is that a lot of cars today have small, ineffective, tapered mirrors.
@rpn453 I have an 06 GX - and am 6'4".. I see 40% car in the driver's side mirror with it fully out.
Once you've gotten used to nice European aspheric mirrors there's no going back. They let you have your cake and eat it too - aspheric side mirrors allow you to see both to the rear and to the side basically right up to your earlobe. With flat mirrors there's really no ideal solution - you can push the mirror well out to the side, to cover the blind-spot, but this leaves you unable to see to the rear - pretty much essential when pulling out of a parking space into traffic.