HN Explorer

Why decrease visibility in modern vehicles?

7 points by hotz ↗ HN
I'm not sure if it's because I'm a biker/motorcyclist but the new Tesla CyberTruck really bothers me.

Has anyone else noticed the trend in minimizing the available view to the outside world in modern vehicles? The CyberTruck is the perfect example of this, I don't see any side mirrors and from it's design it looks like it'll have large blind spots.

2 comments

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emsign
In part I attribute it to higher safety standards. Doors act as crash shields for example. Not only have they become thicker over the decades, the higher the body part is the better they can protect the passengers as well.

But I also think it's a design choice. People still love SUVs, even though they aren't any more spacious on the inside or practical than a regular station wagon. And huge windows just aren't that impressive, metal (and plastic) is. And even smaller models that aren't SUVs get the SUV look.

Jamwinner
A bunch of things converged to make it happen.

1. Rollover standards enacted in the 2000s lead to slightly thicker or bigger a and b-pillars. Many were redesigned with better steel and/or geometries, but most just got bigger.

2. Additional airbags fitted behind a and b-pillars required more area, and specific angles, complicating design.

3. Technology and wires. Clearance for tweeters, light and rain sensors, microphones, and then the various harnesses required to make them work. Add to this the wiring for anything mounted up high, and you got a bundle goin baby.

4. Cars with all this cruft are heavier now, and mostly already top-heavy suvs, so lets make them even thicker to hold the increased weight when sally flips her explorer when it hits a curb going too fast in the cosco parking lot.

P.s. Please, watch for motorcycles.