Cars have convex mirrors instead of flat ones because they give a wider field of view. This means there are fewer blind spots, and the driver can see what's behind the car more clearly. However ...

On the other hand, convex mirrors do a much better job of minimizing blind spots than their flat, aka planar, alternatives. They do such a good job, in fact, that in 2010 the US Department of ...

The shape of the mirror also makes a difference in our perception. In the U.S., passenger-side mirrors are convex (meaning curved slightly outward), whereas driver-side mirrors are flat.