Polestar eliminates the rear window in latest electric car
Polestar’s new electric SUV eliminates the traditional rear window in favor of a camera-based digital mirror, prompting debate over safety, comfort, and long‑term reliability. Commenters weigh the benefits of better nighttime visibility, packaging efficiency, and design flexibility against concerns about latency, failures in bad weather, eye strain, claustrophobic rear seats, and growing software complexity in cars. The change is also seen as part of a broader trend toward heavier, more tech‑dependent vehicles and away from simple, resilient controls like physical mirrors and knobs.
Rear Window Removal & Rear Visibility
- Many see it as a regression: mirrors are high‑resolution, zero‑latency, work in 3D, and don’t depend on electronics or software.
- Others argue cargo vans already operate safely without rear windows, provided side mirrors (or digital equivalents) are good.
- Some current cars already offer camera-based “smart mirrors”; several drivers report quickly preferring them, especially at night or with cargo blocking the rear.
Camera vs Mirror: Safety, Reliability, and Usability
- Pro‑camera points:
- Better low‑light visibility via automatic gain.
- Wider, less obstructed field of view; no need to re‑adjust between drivers in some implementations.
- Easier to clear a small lens than a full rear window; cameras can be sheltered, heated, or washed.
- Anti‑camera points:
- Vulnerable to dirt, rain, snow, lag, glitches, and software/hardware failure; some report occasional Tesla camera glitches.
- Eye accommodation: focusing on a nearby screen then back to the road is tiring and potentially slow, especially for older drivers.
- 2D image harms natural depth perception; harder to judge speed of approaching vehicles.
- Long‑term concerns about expensive repairs and parts availability, though others claim rear cameras are commodity modules.
Passenger Experience & Interior Feel
- Rear seat without a window is described as claustrophobic; manufacturer plans extra lighting and an extended glass roof to compensate.
- Some fear being “cocooned” from the outside will worsen motion sickness; others note most attention is to side windows anyway.
Regulation, Driving Tests, and Edge Cases
- Reports differ: some driving examiners forbid reversing by camera alone; others explicitly allow it.
- Questions raised about:
- How tests adapt when no rear window exists.
- Situations where quick rear situational awareness is critical (e.g., a fast-approaching car at a stoplight).
Broader Design & Tech Concerns
- Several commenters dislike the trend toward more screens/software and fewer physical controls, seeing this as over‑engineering for marginal benefit.
- Others argue modern systems (fly‑by‑wire, redundancy, reliability engineering) show that well‑designed electronics can safely replace simpler mechanical solutions.