Volvo says the coming C30 will take cues from the recently unveiled concept coupe called 3CC, and the a safety concept car Volvo displayed in 2001, which included features like rearview mirrors that alert drivers when a car is in his blind spot or too close for comfort.

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But for the mirrors, my car made it through almost unscratched.

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The German manufacturer recently released a video of this self-parking wizardry -- you can catch it by following the Read link -- which shows a happy homeowner simply pushing a button on his keyfob to fire up the motor, retract the side-view mirrors, and send the car on a controlled journey to its home just inches from another luxury ride.

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Using sterile swab kits, forensic scientists in cases similar to the one near Annecy would be expected to take samples from the car door handles, the steering wheel, the mirrors.

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The car company might prefer to produce its rear-view mirrors in-house, for example, perhaps by buying the mirror company.

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We wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it, and we ought not to rely on the flash of mirrors for our take on reality.

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