The upside of doing it yourself is that you’ll save money and be able to get exactly what you want. You can purchase OEM (original equipment manufacturer) auto-dimming mirrors or buy an aftermarket model that will work with your vehicle. Technically, you can DIY just about anything on a car, including new self-dimming mirrors. RELATED: Will Side-View Mirrors Soon Become Useless? Can you install an auto-dimming mirror yourself? A grey van shown in a car’s side-view mirror | Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images With more and more cars adopting hyper-bright headlights, it may be worth it to look for a car with auto-dimming mirrors everywhere. This is puzzling since drivers need to be checking both mirrors for safety, and you can just as easily be blinded by other drivers on both sides when driving on the highway. Many of those companies only provide auto-dimming technology on the driver’s side mirror. Yes, some automakers offer full self-dimming mirror systems-rearview and side mirrors-but not all. My latest ride does not have this feature, and I curse its absence almost daily. Rogue high beams? Not a problem in this cabin.
My last Outback came with an auto-dimming mirror, and I felt so pampered. These days, they come standard on many premium trim levels, so your next car may just arrive ready to protect your eyes from glare. If you’re not photophobic (sensitive to or intolerant of light) and you’re content to just flip the little tab on your standard rearview mirror, an auto-dimming mirror doesn’t need to be high on your list of must-haves.īut if your eyes are more sensitive to light at night than during the day, or you just don’t want to have to fiddle with the mirror while you’re doing 80 on the highway, an auto-dimmer could be worth it. RELATED: How Do I Adjust My Car’s Mirrors for Maximum Visibility? Are auto-dimming mirrors worth it? Lights and activity shown in a rearview mirror | Sinitta Leunen via Unsplash
Some include a built-in HomeLink wireless control system to let you control garage doors, driveway gates, home security systems, and even lights and appliances. There are a variety of auto-dimming mirror options. Then, the color change is reversed and the mirror returns to normal. When there is no more glare to trigger the sensor, the current stops. This current causes the gel to change color, which dims the appearance of the mirror. When light sensors on the mirror catch glare, a current is sent to the electrochromic gel that sits between two pieces of glass in the mirror.
It Still Runs explains that “electrochromism refers to a color change in a substance that results when an electric current is applied.” If you never need to flip a switch on your rearview mirror to swap effortlessly from day driving to night, you likely have an electrochromatic rear-view mirror. The technology that makes modern auto-dimming mirrors work hasn’t changed much in the past few years. Self-dimming mirrors are more common than they used to be, but they’re still not standard on all models. It’s a subtle feature that doesn’t stand out, and you might not even notice it’s there. Auto-dimming mirrors are offered on many modern cars today, and they’ve actually been around for a while.
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