It seems a little redundant, but of course there is an explanation.
The American company has filed a patent for the rear-view Lidar - that is, laser radar - at a greater angle to see what is right in front of the car's nose.
The idea is supposed to be on the first fully self-driving cars coming in 2021.
So far, most manufacturers have worsened the form factor of cars by placing large boxes on top of the vehicles in which these are the important sensors.
As it can be seen in the patent drawing, this area can cover the area around the carriage quite well, although there is no drawing for the rear tract to be used there.
Meanwhile, it may be a bit strange to incorporate it into the rear-view mirror housing, as it is one of the elements today that most manufacturers are trying to replace with cameras. In any case, for the time being, official regulations also need an analog device, essentially a mirror backwards, not just a video camera, such as the Audi e-throne.
(Source: hvg.hu / photo: pixabay.com)