I drove a new work car the other day with the backup camera, sure I thought it was government over reach to make them mandatory, but I quickly fell in love with the feature, and consider it a great thing!
right up to the point that all the law suits begin when people stop knowing how to use their mirrors and blame it all on the camera’s limitaions
I suppose, kind of like the person who had gps, gps said turn now, the driver turned onto the railroad tracks and ran smack into a big old train, reminds me of a song, heck it’s the 4th of july, hope moderator don’t mind note train reference is in the last 1/3 of the song @ken_green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sco_eBvXGTQ
I’m okay with rear view camera so long as the screen is behind the driver seat so that the driver is force to turn around and look at where the car is heading.
As we discovered in the UK last fall you need to watch your mirrors as well as the screen, It’s handy for backing into a spot or in our most common use backing up 70-100 feet down a single track road to a spot where you can move out of the way of the tractor currently filling the road ahead. But many cars still require you to buy a more expensive model or package to get the camera,usually as a part of a navigation system.
The really major benefit of a backup camera can be seen at night.
Due to the amplification of available light, you will be able to see everything in back of your car (for a considerable distance) almost as well as you can during the daytime.
I defy anyone to be able to do the same by simply turning his head to look in back of the car at night.
I find them a distraction on regular vehicles. I do love them on motor homes though.
The really major benefit of a backup camera can be seen at night. Due to the amplification of available light, you will be able to see everything in back of your car (for a considerable distance) almost as well as you can during the daytime.I defy anyone to be able to do the same by simply turning his head to look in back of the car at night.
I agree. Especially in wooded / forested areas with no light, backup cameras are extremely helpful. Without them it can be near impossible to know if you are going to back up into a large rock or tree.
+2 for light amplification. I had a long term rental with the backup camera. We were encouraged to back in at the work site, and the camera was of great value. I never found it distracting since it was only active in reverse.
In addition to light amplification, the ones I have seen have an extreme wide angle lens which helps when you are in a sedan parked between 2 SUV’s with limo tint windows.
I don’t fully agree with making them mandatory, but I do think the gov should require that the manufacturers make them an affordable, stand alone option available on all models and trim levels. Same for any new technologies that make cars safer. You should not have to buy the top of the line with every available option in order to be safer.
I don’t think they should mandate them either, but they are great to have
“the ones I have seen have an extreme wide angle lens which helps when you are in a sedan parked between 2 SUV’s with limo tint windows.”
That is also true.
Although I was skeptical when the car saleswoman stated that the backup camera on the Outback would permit you to see what is beneath the rear bumper–as well as a very wide-angle view of what is behind it–she was correct. When I put the vehicle into reverse, I can see the ground directly below the rear bumper, which is particularly helpful if a child is playing hide & seek there or–as I found out to my great satisfaction–if there is a rake sitting there.
I was riding back with a guy with another car with the backup camera, he never looked at the side view mirror once, and it did not seem that he needed to.
im a fan of mirrors and have no problem using them to backu p as long as I have an inch clearance, but the light amplification for night time is an obvious benefit of camera.
do any cars have the screen incorporated into the side mirrors, that would be nice but probably hard to weatherproof.
I don’t like any distractions in the dash. any lights that move or flash at night annoy the heck out of me and I will break out the sharpie and black them out
Here is an image from a subaru, image in my car only showed up while in reverese 
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“I don’t like any distractions in the dash. any lights that move or flash at night annoy the heck out of me and I will break out the sharpie and black them out”
Ummm…I hope you realize that the backup camera’s monitor only displays an image when you place the transmission in reverse. Somehow, I don’t think that this could be distracting when driving at night…unless you are in the habit of driving backwards.
;-))
no, I did not know, I m a recovering luddite. . I m ready to relapse at any time. 
If done right, they are awesome. If not, a pain. Generally I am I favor of them as backing up with many of today’s cars, SUVs and trucks is by guess. It takes skill and practice to back up and be sure what distance you are from objects. I agree. Make them mandatory on all vehicles. In this day and age, it is cheap insurance and cost little comparably.
We’ve had this discussion before. As I recall, when mandated on all cars (2018) the cost to society will be about $20,000,000 per life saved.