Honda e becomes latest car to replace door mirrors with cameras

The latest tech must have from car makers are camera replacements for door mirrors, and Honda has now made them available as standard on its new ‘e’ electric car.

This addition will make Honda the first car manufacturer to offer the clever feature without buyers needing to specify it as an optional extra, although Audi was the first to make this available on the e-tron.

Audi has incorporated the screens for the rear view image into the inside top corner of the door, close to where you would look in your wing mirrors normally. However, Honda’s screens display the view much larger as part of the dashboard.

Honda explains that the side camera mirror system helps the e retain its modern and clean design, as the small camera pods hug close to the doors and add little disruption to the smooth A-pillars and doors with flush pop-out door handles.

The Japanese brand also claims that these side cameras reduce drag by 90 per cent, compared with conventional door mirrors. That results in around 3.8 per cent improvement for the whole vehicle, helping to improve its efficiency and range.

The Honda side camera mirror system also allows users to switch between a ‘normal’ and ‘wide’ view, for improved visibility.

Honda’s new electric city car claims more than 125 miles of range, and a fast charge function that will restore battery power to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes. While the design is an important part of why buyers will find this so desirable, it also aids the small car in achieving these claimed figures.

UK buyers can now reserve their Honda e online, which comes out in 2020, by putting down an £800 deposit.