Tesla Hoping to Remove Sideview Mirrors from Cars in Near Future

A niche in automotive design has become making cars with ever-lower coefficients of drags. It is becoming more common for cars to have nearly flat underbodies and active grill shutters to knock the figure down a point or two. TeslaTeslaUnited States of America, 2003 > present4 models
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founder Elon Musk wants his future cars to replace sideview mirrors with rear facing cameras to shed even more drag. 

The main problem with removing side mirrors is not practical, but legal. For example, in the United States cars must have side mirrors, and their size is determined by the size of the vehicle. According to Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen, the company is “still in talks with authorities to get the necessary permissions."

Removing sideview mirrors is not completely novel. VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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is planning to try out the concept on its XL1Volkswagen XL1Germany, 2011 > 201119 photos
super efficient car. Even Tesla's original Model X crossover concept tried the idea, but the latest versions have returned to conventional mirrors. 

Tesla has staked its claims by offering buyers cutting edge technology, and if it wants to keep that audience, it will have to keep pushing the boundary. The Model STesla Model SUnited States of America, 2012 > present7 versions
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has the largest touchscreen infotainment system on the market and is arguably the most advanced pure electric vehicle on sale today. 

Source: Car Scoops