Why YSK: Since May 2018, all newly-built cars sold in the United States are required to have a backup camera and video display for the camera. Many car dealers, both used and new, will advertise the backup camera as some kind of added luxury or special option and try to charge you more for it. Don’t bite the bait and understand that it is 100% a legal mandate to have it, like seat belts or air bags.
I keep wondering why we have regulations like this, but having headlights come on when the wipers are turned on is still not required.
If anything, Technology Connections has convinced me that brake lights and turn signals require better rules.
i recently heard a story about parents that ran over their kid. they did a bunch of petitions to mandate backup cameras. i couldnt quickly find anything to back this up though
I always had a complete disdain for all the electronics put into cars. I still do, but after buying my current car I never want a car without a backup camera again. I fully admit I was completely wrong on that.
Must be nice to have that new of a car. I still have to turn my head like a peasant.
I installed a backup camera and dashcam for like a hundred bucks a few years ago. Totally worth it and has captured a couple accidents as well as prevented a few more
It’s like when I hear Discover card advertise that you’re not responsible for unauthorized purchases. That’s also federal law, not a feature.
I drive compact. It doesn’t have a camera and I never felt the need for one. Just realized reading comments that it’s going to be far safer not just for me but for pedestrians.
In my hatchback I only use it to see how I’m parked (wether i can drive 1cm further back or not) and to make sure there isn’t a hobbit child standing behind the car when about to reverse. Looking out is the windows and mirrors gives me a much better overview of what’s going on around me. If it was an option I wouldn’t get it.
When I first used a backup camera in 2015, I immediately felt it should be required due to how easy it is to see if there is a kid or dog behind your car while backing up. I’m glad they actually did make it required! Though my issue with it now is how there doesn’t seem to be a standard resolution, field of view, etc. So some cars have a terrible backup camera, but there’s always turning your head around and looking back there!
Next they should make front cameras for personal trucks required!
My car stops if it senses it’s going to hit something in reverse (forward too of course but that’s not relevant for this thread)
My father in law has that too, but there seems to be a lot of false positives. (He has a 2018 Kia Niro)
My father in law has that too, but there seems to be a lot of false positives. (He has a 2018 Kia Niro)
In the forward direction I do sometimes get a false positive, but only enough to sound the (not very intrusive) alarm. The only time it’s actually stopped is when I was pulling out of a parking lot and the brakes applied. I never saw what it was in front of the car but another car honked, and a few people gasped so there was something. (2021 Toyota Sienta. Standard, boring family car)
Also I’ve actually been spared being hit as a pedestrian by auto stop on a Honda Freed.
My car’s reverse stop has saved me from a couple of dents.
My father in law has that too, but there seems to be a lot of false positives. (He has a 2018 Kia Niro)
Sorry for the duplicates, seems to be a bug with Memmy
My truck has the 360 degree cameras, and I can’t live without the front camera now.
Thank god for that. I was just in Italy a few weeks back and rented a brand new Cupra Formentor from Europcar which had no cameras at all. I couldn’t believe it!
