Cadillac is taking a page from the Le Mans playbook for the new CT6, with a streaming, high-resolution video screen embedded in the rearview mirror to provide an unobstructed view out back. But it's not ditching the reflective surface that has served us well for centuries.
The 2016 CT6 will be the first Cadillac to launch with the mirror when it goes on sale late next year. It incorporates a camera mounted on the back of the new sedan that Cadillac claims provides four times more visibility than a traditional mirror by removing obstructions like the rear pillars and headrests.
"The closest comparison to this kind of rear vision would be driving a convertible with the top down," says Travis Hester, the CT6's executive chief engineer.
The mirror incorporates a 1280x240 pixel TFT-LCD display that's connected to an HD camera which claims to respond to low light conditions better than an auto-dimming mirror, and the HD camera has a hydrophobic coating to keep it clean and clear. But if you're still hankering for a just a plain reflection, the toggle underneath switches it back to a traditional electrochromatic rearview mirror.