Insurance companies are welcoming a new interior auto-dimming rear-view mirror which may help to reduce car accidents and so reduce the number of road accident claims.

Gentex have pioneered an electro chromic automatic-dimming mirror which opens up a whole new area of active crash avoidance safety features. The auto-dimming rear-view mirror detects glare and eliminates it, preventing the driver from being dazzled, thereby reducing the chances of them being involved in a road accident.

The new mirrors are being adopted by Ford among others, with it already available in some Focus models, and soon to be available in Fiestas.

A senior figure at Gentex said: "We are very pleased that Ford recognises the importance of the auto-dimming feature in the European market."