Ford Motor Co. said today the 2009 Ford Edge crossover will go on sale this fall with a blind-spot mirror that will be standard for the upcoming model year — a year earlier than planned.
The mirror has an added convex spotter mirror in the corner of the side-view mirror, which is designed to give a better view of the driver’s blind spot.
The decision to bring the mirror to market earlier may have been in an effort to put the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse crossover in its rear view. The Traverse will have a similar blind-spot mirror as standard in the higher-level LT and LTZ models.
Production of the 2009 Traverse is scheduled to begin in September.
“The blind-spot mirror is the latest example of our strategy to move fast and to be industry leaders in enhancing the ownership experience,” Ford’s product chief Derrick Kuzak said in a statement.
Ford said it tested the mirror with focus groups and found that three-fourths of participants reported that it “improved their confidence while driving.”
Similar mirrors are available in the aftermarket, but Ford said its mirror trumps those offerings because it is designed for its vehicles.
Ford said it will offer the mirror as standard in several future Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
