The Chinese-market Chevrolet Menlo EV made its official debut in early November, and General Motors published a bunch of pictures for our viewing pleasure. However, in one of the interior pictures of the Menlo, something grabbed our attention.
In GM vehicles sold in the North American market that are equipped with a blind-spot monitoring system, the automaker integrates amber-colored warning indicators directly on the surface of the outside mirrors. When a vehicle is within proximity of ours in the next lane, the light comes on to warn us that another motorist may be hiding in one of our blind spots.
However, in certain upscale GM vehicles, such as Buick and Cadillac cars and SUVs, the company also installed a small turn signal indicator on the outer edge of the mirror caps, visible to the driver. Not only is it the same color as the blind-spot warning light, but they’re only about two inches apart.
A few years ago, a loyal GM Authority reader named Greg S. suggested that General Motors use a different color for these two indicators, as they could be confusing for some drivers during a lane-change maneuver, or reduce awareness of the blind-spot monitor light. Greg was fond of his Cadillac CTS Vsport, but figured the blind-spot monitor would be more effective if the indicator was red instead of amber. In fact, various studies over the years have shown that red is the color that attracts and holds the human eye’s attention longer than other colors – hence why stoplights and stop signs are red.
General Motors seems to have brought a different solution to the blind-spot monitoring system by moving the blind-spot indicator to the opposing side of the mirror cap, as seen in the pictures of the Chevrolet Menlo EV. As we can see, a black zone on the mirror shell, close to the side window, is where the indicator lights up. We don’t know what color is used in this case, but if it’s still amber, at least it’s further away from the turn signal indicator light.
As we’ve previously reported, the Menlo EV has been developed for foreign markets like China, and GM has no intention of offering the wagon-esque battery-electric car in North America. We’ll be getting the Chevrolet Bolt EUV instead, which is a totally different vehicle. However, is the Menlo’s blind-spot monitoring system a preview of what’s to come on all future GM vehicles? We certainly hope so.
If it’s the case, we should soon be seeing this new-and-improved safety feature appear in the company’s upcoming vehicles. As a reminder, the redesigned 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe full-size SUVs will be revealed on December 10th, while the next-generation GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade should follow soon thereafter. Meanwhile, GM has announced an eventual battery-electric Cadillac crossover and an EV pickup truck, which should all offer a blind-spot monitoring system.
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Comments
New to GM, since other manufacturers already use a similar setup.
Who has them on the inside of the mirror like that? All I see are the ones on the edge of the mirror from Toyota to Mercedes doing it in the same manner as GM currently does, except of course that since they aren’t GM, no one complains about how they do it……
Audi has been doing it forever.
Ok so were officially at 1 other besides GM now doing it.
subaru does it
Subaru been doing that for years. My 2022 Impreza per has them on that spot
This current set up is stupid and I don’t know why manufacturers change functioning products for more confusing ones that are unnecessary. There was no reason to make both the turn signal indicator and blind spot warning indicators the SAME color.
My 2011 Cadillac DTS and my brother’s 2013 GMC Yukon Denali have red turn signal indicators and amber/yellow blind spot indicators. So much easier to decipher since it’s two different colors and made perfect since. I love mine, simple and it even looks better.
When I get my next Escalade (2015+) I’m going to change the color of my turn signals to red just like my 2003 EXT.
My blind spot indicators are constantly broken on my XTS Vsport Platinum. So it doesn’t matter what color they are since they don’t work. The sensors are crap.
Indicators are pointless beings there’s no such thing as blind spots. Blind spots are created by miss-adjusted side view mirrors. Hint: if you can see the side of your vehicle, you’re doing it wrong
The Brazillian Onix uses this same indicator.
Those Chinese are so SMART!
There is no such thing as a blind spot if your mirrors are adjusted correctly.
There is always a blind spot. SMH
I guess you don’t know how to adjust your mirrors. If you can see the side of your car through your side view mirrors…You’re doing it wrong…SMH
Just drove a rental Audi A6 and it has the warning light on the inside mirror, works great.Still can’t understand though the lawsuit GM has against FCA claiming unfair profits, then I read today that GM loses money on many of the new Corvettes and then last year selling Opel because they couldn’t make a profit and PSA turned it around in their first year.
Nissan
All sounds good, and it would be hard to say that BSM systems are not helpful.
But there’s an unsolved issue that nobody wants to talk about. Who’s going to fix these things?
In the life of most cars, unpleasant things happen. Such as rear ends, bangs to the bumper while parked, backing into a fixed structure. You name it, it happens, and there are collision shops all over that are there to help. But BSM systems? Don’t even ask. Just learn to live without them until you get another car.