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Better than some automakers "detectors"
LaneFX actually shows you what's lurking in your blind spot!
- Change lanes safely: Always use your turn signal before changing lanes or merging into highway traffic lanes. Turn signal aftermarket
power mirrors are great, but they still don't give you complete coverage of the cars in your blind spot.
- LaneFX is the best automotive technology for your auto safety.
- Unlike some automakers' systems, Lane FX has no blinking lights, no false positives, and no learning curve. It uses what you normally use: your vehicle's side mirror!
- Perfect for new drivers with learner's permit. Don't take the DMV driver license test without it!
- Volvo XC90, S80 and Audi Q7 blind spot detectors can't
match LaneFX. In each of these systems, the blinking lights in your blind spot mirrors can get very distracting.
- LaneScan is a good solution for semi-trucks, but for your commercial van fleet LaneFX is the clear solution because of its OEM compatibility.
- Lane FX Fleet Edition now available for light and medium duty commercial trucks and vans. It's preferred 2-to-1 by commercial fleet
managers over the LaneScan Go Zone system.
- AARP: helps senior drivers avoid fatal accidents by advocating proper turn signal use and and 100% checking of senior driver's blind spot.
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Let me tell you about the coolest product I never reviewed. It's a wonderfully complex solution to a problem that shouldn't
even be a problem. This product, LaneFX, is a microcontroller that interacts with the side mirrors in your car.
You want to change lanes, and you glance in your side mirror. It looks clear. But in your LaneFX-equipped car, you can press a button and the mirror sweeps out to show you the blind spot
beyond the limit of your peripheral vision. Then it returns to its normal position. If you flick on your turn signal, the mirror also does its sweep.
It works on either side of the car, and it also has an extended mode for when you want to keep an eye on traffic alongside and behind you, as when you're merging onto a freeway. Now let's
say you're going to parallel-park. You slip your car into reverse—and the right mirror angles itself downward so you can see the curb.
Although that's the end of the LaneFX's bag of tricks, it's just the beginning of the ways it can be implemented. You can customize how far each mirror moves, how long it pauses, and how
long it takes to get there. You can even make mistakes in hooking up the wires to the mirror motors; the microcontroller has a learn mode so you can teach it which wires to use to control each
motion. An LCD screen prompts you through every step of the procedure.
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LaneFX proven better solution to the blind spot problem than stick-on convex blind spot mirrors
Why use conventional, ineffective blind spot mirrors? LaneFX puts your side mirrors to work for your driving safety. It alerts you before changing lanes by showing you any trucks,
SUV's, and passenger cars hiding in your blind spot side view mirror. Plus, LaneFX works with your vehicle's existing power side mirrors.
Learn how adjusting your power mirrors wide does not guarantee to eliminate blind spots
The Car Talk folks might like this concept, but why use 1960's technology to solve an increasingly
important driving safety problem? Blind spot mirrors are no match for the simplicity, innovation and high-technology of the LaneFX system.
Unlike what you'd drive in Volvo XC90, S80, or Audi Q7 Lane Assist, LaneFX is not a fad or a car gadget! Auxiliary blind spot mirrors are not the the latest automotive safety technology
to make lane changing and merging safer. As you activate your blinker, LaneFX swings your side mirror outward to show you what may be lurking
in your vehicle's blind spot. LaneFX is more compatible with the latest turn signal mirrors than stick-on convex blind spot mirrors. Since LaneFX doesn't take away any of the mirror surface (unlike
stick-on fish eye mirrors), you can see Muth turn signal LED's with ease. Turn signal mirrors and LaneFX are the ultimate in total driver awareness. Check the best-selling
Muth turn signal mirrors and see how easily they're compatible with LaneFX for a powerful safety result.
- blind spot mirrors
- lane change
- Total driver awareness and safe driving even with when used with radar detectors.
- Consumer Reports stresses the importance of proper lane check prior to merging or
changing lanes.
- Sonus SideVUE, is a good example of stick-on gadgets for your blind spot mirrors, but without real benefit of driving safety that Lane FX provides on any vehicle equipped with power mirrors,
guaranteed!
- Prevent accidents: Always check your blind spot zone before changing lanes
or merging into highway traffic.
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LaneFX Standard Features to Make Every Lane Change Safer
Q. Even though LaneFX is ultra simple concept, you've managed to make LaneFX a very feature rich product. Correct?
A. Absolutely. Let me give you a brief walk through of the features and
add-on options of the LaneFX system:
- First we talked about the universal fit of LaneFX.
- Second, ease of installation (which you have to remember quick installations mean less cost of
ownership to the customer and faster seamless installations mean higher customer satisfaction). The way we were about to simplified installation on hundreds if not thousands of power mirror systems
is by using an Intelligent Learn Technology. So all the installer has to do is hook up a set of 3 wires on either side of LaneFX module. And then all the installer has to do is start learn mode
and the unit "learns" the
wiring setup of the vehicle and configures itself on that basis. No complex wiring diagram, no programming required.
- Third, all mirror movements are fully customizable at installation. We wanted to make
LaneFX as responsive to the driver and tailored to the driver's preferences as possible. So with every LaneFX unit, each driver can customize how far the mirror opens up, how long it pauses when it
gets there, and even how fast the mirror should move. You can control your preferences separately for the right and left mirror.
- LaneFX is intended to be a
concealed unit either under the dash or in the trunk. So these adjustments should be made at installation and you can always tweak them or change occasionally after that.
- Another feature we offer in
the system is control of both mirrors. So you control the left and right mirror separately or concurrently.
Q. And all of these features you mentioned are standard in every LaneFX box?
A. Yes. That's correct.
Q. But I also understand that you have a number of optional add-on components that a customer can choose to further enhance his/hers LaneFX system.
A. Our team has worked very diligently to research
what consumers would like to have in their complete LaneFX system. Let me share with you a quick list of what some of these options are:
- First is a very inexpensive add-on component we have that we think
is going to be very popular, especially among entry level domestic vehicles is the optional Mirror Speed Boost. With this component owners of vehicles with slow moving power mirrors
can safely boost their mirror movement speeds up to 200% of OEM speed. This will provide drivers with a way to ensure that LaneFX movement is responsive to their driving needs. All of the mirror speeds
are customizable by the driver from 80% to 200% of OEM speed, and those adjustments can be done separately for left and right mirrors.
- Second we have a great optional component that's quite frankly
is a driver awareness system in and of itself: ParkFX. ParkFX is an active park assist and curb exposure system that uses your side mirrors
to expose the parking boundaries around your vehicle as your backing up. Much in the same LaneFX moves your mirror outward to expose the blind spot next to you and behind you, ParkFX
tilts the blind spot mirror downward when you put the vehicle in reverse to expose either
the parking lines let's say if you were in a mall parking lot, or more importantly to expose the curb in parallel parking situations. When you take the car out of reverse, the mirror comes back to
its original position, every single time. Just like LaneFX, ParkFX is universal and fully-customizable to the driver's preferences. The system
works on any vehicle, new or old, domestic or import, manual or automatic transmission. And you can choose to have ParkFX control the left, right or both mirrors. And to be complete, you can also configure
at installation how much ParkFX should tilt each of these mirrors when the vehicle is backing up. So for a big SUV, you can choose the blind spot mirrors to tilt down farther than say someone who drives
a small sedan. Everything is universal and fully-customizable to your needs.
- Thirdly is an add-on component we are very proud of: our Turn Signal Link integration kit. I put my blinker on and that activates
LaneFX to show me my blind spot before I change lanes? Yes exactly. And you can also configure the Turn Signal Link integration kit to activate only when the vehicle is moving above certain speed,
like over 55mph to have it only activate on when you're on the highway, or say over 35mph in an urban city setting.
- The forth in our options list is a plug-and-play wireless controls kit. We've heard time and time again that drivers would
ideally like the LaneFX controls at the finger tips, just like your horn or turn signal stalk. this tiny module I am holding is an example of a left-hand wireless control. So we designed this wireless
kit so that installers never have to worry about running wires to the steering wheel (which is a no no) and to give the customer to place the controls anywhere. The wireless controls kit includes two
controls for left and right and is designed to fit behind one of your steering-wheel spokes. The placement is meant to avoid competing with the increasing number of OEM buttons on the front
of the steering wheel. Also the placement behind the top spoke make the LaneFX control within the reach of a finger tip without having to move a hand off the steering wheel regardless in you drive
with your hands in the 10-to-2 position or racing style.
- One more plug-and-play optional component which is our Speed Sensitivity Mode. This is an
add-on component that integrates with OBDII port of virtually any vehicle and continuously reads the vehicle speed. The LaneFX module is pre-programmed to take advantage of this option and it then
produces more dynamic mirror movement based on the vehicle speed. This ensures an ever greater degree of responsiveness to the driver's needs in real-time. So LaneFX moves the mirror faster at say
70mph than at 55mph? Exactly right, and it also pauses less when it reaches its maximum expansion angle at higher speeds.
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Drivaware Publishes Automakers' Scorecard on Driver Visbility and Average Blind Spot Zone Size
Automakers' average blind spot zones vary greatly. Automakers that produce
larger, taller vehicles have larger blind spot zones than conventional passenger vehicles without impeded side and rearviews. All measurements do not account for the use of blind spot mirrors
or blind spot detectors (like Valeo Raytheon's and Volvo's BLIS systems). Blind spot zone sizes are a combination of the side blind spot zones (as applicable in lane changes) but exclude the size
of the rear blind spot zone that result when the vehicle is in reverse (backover condition).
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| Automaker |
Average Size of Model Lane Change Blind Spot Area
(avg. for all 2006 models in feet) |
Automaker |
Average Size of Model Lane Change Blind Spot Area (avg. for all 2006 models in feet) |
| Acura |
24.1' |
Jeep |
31.0' |
| Alfa Romeo |
N/A |
Kia |
18.9' |
| Aston Martin |
29.2' |
Lamborghini |
48.0' |
| Audi |
32.0' |
Land Rover |
38.2' |
| Bentley |
29.4' |
Lexus |
28.4' |
| BMW |
28.6' |
Lincoln |
22.9' |
| Buick |
33.2' |
Lotus |
49.8' |
| Cadillac |
31.0' |
Mazda |
22.0' |
| Chevrolet |
33.9' |
Mercedes-Benz |
29.4' |
| Chrysler |
36.8' |
Mercury |
28.2' |
| Daewoo |
18.6' |
Mini |
27.4' |
| DeLorean |
44.1' |
Mitsubishi |
29.6' |
| Dodge |
36.1' |
Nissan |
31.0' |
| Eagel |
N/A |
Oldsmobile |
N/A |
| Ferrari |
40.6' |
Pontiac |
32.1' |
| Fiat |
N/A |
Porsche |
41.6' |
| Ford |
38.1' |
Rolls-Royce |
29.4' |
| Geo |
16.3' |
Saab |
26.1' |
| GMC |
29.4' |
Saturn |
25.5' |
| Honda |
21.8' |
Scion |
19.0' |
| Hummer |
50.5' |
Subaru |
26.7' |
| Hyundai |
22.0' |
Suzuki |
27.3' |
| Infiniti |
34.1' |
Toyota |
25.9' |
| Isuzu |
37.5' |
Volkswagen |
30.6' |
| Jaguar |
28.8' |
Volvo |
28.1' |
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How To Avoid Car Gadgets & Choose the Right Park Assist Technology for Your Driving Safety
Aftermarket companies offer three types of backup systems: rear-view cameras, sensor systems, and mirror tilt-down. Use Types to
decide which type best suits your needs. For all camera and sensor systems, we recommend professional installation.
No matter what type of system you choose, consider these things when deciding on a specific model:
Know how the device mounts on your vehicle.
Camera and sensor systems that are mounted on the vehicle’s bumper or bodywork may necessitate drilling. They may not be the best choice if you lease your vehicle.
If you have a hitch, you can consider a model that mounts in the trailer-hitch receiver. But you would have to remove the system to use your hitch.
Other camera and sensor models mount on the license-plate frame. But some states prohibit frames because they can obscure the plate.
Within types, features vary. This is especially true with the sensor models we tested. The ultrasonic systems were generally the most sensitive, but their performance was adversely affected
by rain, snow, or other inclement weather.
The microwave-based sensor systems we tested were not affected by weather but are less sensitive as a group. They also don’t warn the driver unless the vehicle or object behind it is moving.
The display quality of the camera-based models is very good, although it doesn’t match that of the larger screens on some carmakers’ systems. Most of the system displays turn on when the
vehicle shifts into reverse, but one, the Audiovox, must be turned off and on manually. |
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