A navigational mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror having a reflective element. A display, optionally a video display, is disposed to the rear of the reflective element and emits light when actuated that passes through the reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle viewing a front portion of the reflective mirror element. A user input comprising a destination address is provided from a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is at an initial geographic location. The display displays driving instructions that provide instructions to the destination address. The driving instructions are viewable by a person viewing the front portion of the reflective element. A particular instruction of the driving instructions is preferably displayed when it is appropriate to display the particular instruction to the driver of the vehicle.

A rearview mirror element for a motor vehicle includes a light transmitting substrate having a visible light reflecting and visible light transmitting mirror reflector disposed on a surface thereof. A display-on-demand display device is disposed behind the substrate such that light emitted by the display device when powered passes through both the light transmitting substrate and the mirror reflector. The display device exhibits, when powered during day time driving conditions, a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts. When not emitting light, the disposition of the display device to the rear of the light transmitting substrate is not substantially distinguishable to the driver of the equipped vehicle when viewing the mirror element. To the rear of the light transmitting substrate is rendered substantially opaque by a light absorbing element that is disposed at least adjacent to where, and except at where, the display device is disposed therebehind.

A vehicular signal mirror includes a reflective mirror element comprising a mirror reflector on a light-transmitting substrate. The visible light reflectance is at least about 40% for visible light incident upon the front side of the reflective mirror element. A turn signal light display and/or a blind-spot indicator light display is disposed to the rear of the reflective mirror element and configured so that the light emitted by the light display passes through the reflective mirror element to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front of the reflective mirror element. The light display exhibits, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, a display luminance of at least about 30 foot lamberts as measured with the light display placed behind, and emitting light through, the reflective mirror element.

A video mirror system for a vehicle comprises an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element that has a front portion that faces generally towards the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle and that has a rear portion that is generally opposite the front portion. The reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflector that preferably is at least about 15 percent transmitting to visible light incident at the rear portion of the reflective element, and that preferably is at least about 60 percent reflective to visible light incident at the front portion. A video display screen is disposed to the rear of the reflective element and emits light when actuated that passes through the reflective element to be visible to a driver of the vehicle.