Automotive rearview mirrors are primarily categorized by mounting location into interior mirrors, exterior mirrors (left and right sides), and downward-facing mirrors (less common); by mirror surface type into flat, convex (spherical/wide-angle), and dual-curvature mirrors; and by technical features to include anti-glare and electronic rearview mirrors (CMS). Common functions include electric adjustment, heating/defrosting, automatic anti-glare, electric folding, blind-spot detection (BSD), and automatic tilting-down during reversing.
By location: Interior rearview mirror (mounted above the windshield for viewing directly behind; typically a flat mirror); exterior rearview mirror (mounted on the door or fender for viewing the side-rear; typically convex or dual-curvature); downward-facing mirror (used on some commercial or construction vehicles to view front wheels or curbs; not standard on passenger cars).
By mirror surface type: Flat mirror (no distortion, true distance perception; used for interior mirrors); convex mirror (wide field of view, reduced image size; used for exterior mirrors; often marked "objects are closer than they appear"); dual-curvature mirror (flat inner section + convex outer section; balances field of view with distance judgment).
By technical function: Anti-glare mirror (manual wedge or automatic electrochromic; reduces glare from high beams at night); electronic rearview mirror/CMS (camera + display screen; permitted in China as a replacement for optical mirrors since July 2023); streaming rearview mirror (an electronic type; displays real-time video of the area behind the vehicle).