--- title: "These Funky Mirrors on JDM Vans Were Made for a Time Before Backup Cameras" description: "That may look like a street lamp hanging off the back of this old Japanese-market Nissan van, but it was actually the OG backup camera in some respects." date: "2024-11-05" modified: "2024-11-05" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/these-funky-mirrors-on-jdm-vans-were-made-for-a-time-before-backup-cameras" categories: - "News" tags: - "Nissan" --- # These Funky Mirrors on JDM Vans Were Made for a Time Before Backup Cameras ![Nissan Serena van with rear corner mirror highlighted, and an arrow pointing to it next to the words "Analog Backup Camera!"]() *\Cars & Bids, The Drive\* I stumbled on a clever piece of old-school analog car tech this morning that I'd never seen before. While scouring the internet for ['90s JDM vans]() (a habit that's become concerningly frequent), I found this 1996 [Nissan]() Serena on *[Cars & Bids]()*. The Serena happens to be pretty neat, with some cool interior features—but it wasn't the van that caught my eye. Instead, it was the funny-looking mirror hanging off the top of the rear tailgate that intrigued me. I needed to know more. As it turns out, the Serena's funky rear mirror was commonplace on vans and work vehicles in many Asian countries, and it's essentially an analog backup camera. The mirror allows the driver to see what's directly behind the van, all the way from the typical rearview mirror. It'd help when reversing up to a curb with precision, or to catch low or small obstructions that normally would be blocked by the bottom half of the tailgate. Despite the mirror itself being tiny and probably hard to see through, it was a clever innovation in the age before backup cameras. ![]() **Cars & Bids** Of course, it wasn't entirely a low-tech stand-in for a backup cam—it wouldn't help you see far behind, but then, that's what your other mirrors were for. And it wasn't just JDM vans that had 'em, either. [United States Postal Service]() vans sported them for decades—particularly the old [Grumman LLVs]()—as did vehicles belonging to FedEx and other delivery firms. In such cases, these mirrors are both for seeing what's behind the van *and* also for making sure no one is trying to snag packages from the back door. Also, you check them via the side mirrors; LLVs don't have rearview mirrors, not that they'd do you much good anyway. ![Grumman LLV (Long Life Vehicle) mail trucks parked at the post office in Clairemont.]() **Dünzl/ullstein bild via Getty Images** ![Grumman LLV (Long Life Vehicle) mail trucks parked at the post office in Clairemont.]() **Dünzl/ullstein bild via Getty Images** Some delivery vehicles are still set up with these convex corner mirrors, but it seems they're falling in favor thanks to, you guessed it, backup cameras. That's one curiosity, answered. As for me, my quest for a strange and unusual utility vehicle will continue—whether it's a JDM van like the Serena, a smaller [Kei van](), or an old, imported Land Rover that is *not* a van, but will ruin me financially. If I ever get such a vehicle, whatever it is, I'm going to figure out how to add one of these funky mirrors, because they just make so much sense. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()