Where Did All the Automotive Mirrors Go?

---

Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated: Houston, Texas). If you've bought a car recently, you might have noticed something new in the mirror department. The humble automotive mirror is no longer just a reflection glass allowing the driver to see what is going on behind him. The simple mirror these days has evolved into a high-tech, sophisticated, complex, multi-function electronic module that does everything but drive the car for you. Mirrors now come in varied configurations with compass and temperature displays, tire pressure monitors, telematics and global positioning systems, microphones, back-seat monitors, remote keyless entry systems, airbag status indicators, headlamp control systems, microphones for phone or voice recognition controls, and even rain sensors (in case you hadn't noticed it was raining).

Gentex Corporation (NYSE:GNTX) (Zeeland, Michigan) pioneered the electrochromic (EC), automatic-dimming mirror industry in the early 1980's. The EC mirror is now either standard equipment or available in an option package for some 140 automotive models worldwide. In the early 1980's, EC equipment was available only on upper end models. Citing Japanese studies, which indicate that drivers look at their mirrors 25 percent more often per minute than at their instrument panel, Gentex feels that the mirror module is a logical choice for location of these monitors, sensors, and indicator lights. The company is also developing new lighting applications for its synthetic white-light LED technology, which is much brighter than anything presently on the market.

Gentex has also developed technical alliances with companies such as Johnson Controls(NYSE:JCI) (Plymouth, Michigan), to jointly develop value-added mirrors, and with Photobit Corporation (Pasadena, California), with which it is developing automotive rear-vision systems incorporating tiny cameras and sensors to monitor driving conditions.

Gentex, with over 10 years presence in Europe, is building a new $4-5 million, 40,000 square foot facility in Neckarsulm, Germany, to increase its existing engineering, product development, and logistics support for its burgeoning European business. Other global mirror systems manufacturers include Donnelly, Magna, Schefenacker, Ficosa, Eaton, Bing-Lear, Murakami Kaimeido.

IIR reported earlier this year on a new $97 million, 225,000 square foot plant Gentex is planning to construct at its Zeeland campus. (See PEC #18001679). Construction has not yet begun at the time of this writing, but Gentex had said earlier that construction plans might be pushed out a year, due to economic conditions.