Ford minimizes blind spot risk

It seems simple, but Ford recently announced the launch of blind-spot minimizing side mirrors - an industry first.

Ford's new mirrors address consumer demand for more visibility while parallel parking and changing lanes. The mirrors utilize a secondary convex spotter in the top outer corner. When a vehicle enters the driver's blind spot, the vehicle can still be seen in the spotter.

While a few similar after-market parts are available to help minimize blind spots, this new innovation from Ford offers a more seamless solution. The mirror is one continuous glass surface and has the ability to handle changing elements. Perhaps more importantly, 76 percent of focus group participants said the new mirror increased their confidence while driving.

The new mirrors will be available starting this fall as standard equipment on the 2009 Ford Edge. Currently, Ford also has plans to integrate this feature in future Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles.