Precept: Camera replacing the rear window
Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. And in certain situations, like extreme weather, they may not be visible at all. So, we replaced the mirrors with cameras.
The combination of an aerodynamic silhouette with ample interior space and an unobstructed rear view has long been a challenge for automotive designers. The lower the rear header is pushed, the more aerodynamic the car becomes. However, this reduces the field of view in the back.
Our approach, as ever, was to innovate. “The camera system replaces the rear window of the Precept so there is a live feed of whatever happens behind the car. Instead of the inside mirror, it’s a screen. This allows the header to be pulled down quite a lot and that makes for a great panoramic view from the rear seats” explains Maximilian Missoni, Polestar Head of Design.
Ironically, closing the rear like this opens up new possibilities. Between and slightly behind the rear seats of the Precept, in the space normally occupied by the rear window, there’s a rotating crystal containing a holographic Polestar symbol. “Polestar is a tech brand and we are very much translating technology into design. But then, we do have the occasional poetic detail and that is where the crystal comes in” adds Missoni.
In the rear-view of the Precept, lies the Polestar 2 with its frameless mirrors. The cameras are the next evolutionary step, increasing the view while decreasing the overall size of the mirrors themselves.
The future, like other objects, is closer than it appears.