Apple may be closer to getting involved in the automotive market with a new patent that is meant to eliminate a car’s blind spots.

The patent, first reported by Patently Apple, is titled “Systems for improving side-mirror functionality of a vehicle.” Here’s how it works: The technology essentially projects images of the surrounding environment within the car’s blind spots onto the vehicle’s window or windshield.

There’s also some facial recognition technology involved, with a camera mounted on the windshield facing toward the driver that would be able to detect the driver’s face and facial features. By reading the driver’s face, the side mirrors would be able to retract or extend.

The patent’s technology seems similar to one that 14-year-old Alaina Gassler invented. Gassler’s idea focuses on a webcam outside of the passenger side and a projector that projects that webcam’s footage to the inside of the front pillar of the car, which is often a blind spot to drivers.
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