Vehicle exterior rearview mirror system having an indicator

An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:

• a driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mirror casing, said driver-side mirror casing comprising a driver-side reflective element;
• said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side attachment portion configured for attaching said driver-side exterior mirror assembly at an exterior driver-side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror system;
• wherein said driver-side mirror casing comprises an inboard portion that faces generally toward an exterior driver-side of the equipped vehicle when said driver-side exterior mirror assembly is attached at an exterior driver-side of an equipped vehicle;
• wherein said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when driving the equipped vehicle;
• a driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module incorporated at said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing as a part of said driver-side mirror casing, said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprising a first illumination source;
• wherein said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprises at least one light emitting diode;
• wherein said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module illuminates responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of an overtaking vehicle that is at least one of (i) alongside the driver side of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein, responsive to detection of an overtaking vehicle at the driver side of the equipped vehicle by said blind spot detection system, said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is illuminated to provide a hazard indication to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle not to make a lane change maneuver;
• wherein said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is configured at said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing so that, when said driver-side exterior mirror assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and when the equipped vehicle is operated on a road, illumination of said first illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein illumination of said first illumination source is generally not viewable by a driver of a leading vehicle that is traveling in front of the equipped vehicle or by a driver of a vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from in front of the equipped vehicle;
• a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mirror casing, said passenger-side mirror casing comprising a passenger-side reflective element;
• said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side attachment portion configured for attaching said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly at an exterior passenger-side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror system;
• wherein said passenger-side mirror casing comprises an inboard portion that faces generally toward an exterior passenger-side of the equipped vehicle when said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly is attached at an exterior passenger-side of an equipped vehicle;
• wherein said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when driving the equipped vehicle;
• a passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module incorporated at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing as a part of said passenger-side mirror casing, said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprising a second illumination source;
• wherein said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprises at least one light emitting diode;
• a passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module disposed at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing, said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprising a second illumination source;
• wherein said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module illuminates responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of an overtaking vehicle that is at least one of (i) alongside the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein, responsive to detection of an overtaking vehicle at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle by said blind spot detection system, said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module is illuminated to provide a hazard indication to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle not to make a lane change maneuver;
• wherein said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module is configured at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing so that, when said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and when the equipped vehicle is operated on a road, illumination of said second illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle;
• and
• wherein illumination of said second illumination source is generally not viewable by a driver of a leading vehicle that is traveling in front of the equipped vehicle or by a driver of a vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from in front of the equipped vehicle.

An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:

• a driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mirror casing, said driver-side mirror casing comprising a driver-side reflective element;
• wherein said driver-side reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element with electrically variable reflectivity;
• said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side attachment portion configured for attaching said driver-side exterior mirror assembly at an exterior driver-side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror system;
• wherein said driver-side mirror casing comprises an inboard portion that faces generally toward an exterior driver-side of the equipped vehicle when said driver-side exterior mirror assembly is attached at an exterior driver-side of an equipped vehicle;
• wherein said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when driving the equipped vehicle;
• a driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module incorporated at said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing as a part of said driver-side mirror casing, said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprising a first illumination source;
• wherein said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprises at least one light emitting diode;
• wherein said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module illuminates responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of an overtaking vehicle that is at least one of (i) alongside the driver side of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein, responsive to detection of an overtaking vehicle at the driver side of the equipped vehicle by said blind spot detection system, said first illumination source of said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is illuminated to provide a hazard indication to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle not to make a lane change maneuver;
• wherein said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is configured at said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing so that, when said driver-side exterior mirror assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and when the equipped vehicle is operated on a road, illumination of said first illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein illumination of said first illumination source is generally not viewable by a driver of a leading vehicle that is traveling in front of the equipped vehicle or by a driver of a vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from in front of the equipped vehicle;
• a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mirror casing, said passenger-side mirror casing comprising a passenger-side reflective element;
• said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side attachment portion configured for attaching said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly at an exterior passenger-side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror system;
• wherein said passenger-side mirror casing comprises an inboard portion that faces generally toward an exterior passenger-side of the equipped vehicle when said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly is attached at an exterior passenger-side of an equipped vehicle;
• wherein said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when driving the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprises at least one light emitting diode;
• a passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module incorporated at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing as a part of said passenger-side mirror casing, said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module comprising a second illumination source;
• wherein said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module illuminates responsive to detection by a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle of presence of an overtaking vehicle that is at least one of (i) alongside the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said driver-side blind spot detection system indicator module is disposed at an aperture at said inboard portion of said driver-side mirror casing and wherein said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module is disposed at an aperture at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing;
• wherein, responsive to detection of an overtaking vehicle at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle by said blind spot detection system, said second illumination source of said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module is illuminated to provide a hazard indication to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle not to make a lane change maneuver;
• wherein said passenger-side blind spot detection system indicator module is configured at said inboard portion of said passenger-side mirror casing so that, when said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and when the equipped vehicle is operated on a road, illumination of said second illumination source is readily viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle;
• and
• wherein illumination of said second illumination source is generally not viewable by a driver of a leading vehicle that is traveling in front of the equipped vehicle or by a driver of a vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from in front of the equipped vehicle.