Having a backup camera in your vehicle has a few awesome perks! A backup camera not only a cool feature, can be lifesavers as well. Backup cameras will mandatory for all vehicles, and for a very good reason. The NHTSA wants to help decrease the annual 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries caused by back-over vehicle crashes by requiring all vehicles to have a backup camera installed.
Choosing a Great Backup Camera
Not every backup camera is made equally. With so many options out there, which are the safest? Here are some things to look into:
- Lens size and viewing angle: NHTSA sets a requirement of 130 degrees for the lens size on a backup camera, but a wide-angle camera lens exists that can view 180 degrees.
- Guidance lines: Some backup camera systems have an overlay of colored lines on the camera’s image that guide you on how close you are to an object behind your car or truck. This allows you know if the car gets to the red line on the screen, you’re about to hit the object. Some guidelines move along with your steering wheel to give you a better sense of if you’ll clear that obstacle. While those are the best, systems with stationary lines are better than systems without any guidelines.
- Screen location: They’re usually located either in-dash or embedded in the rearview mirror. Each approach has its pros and cons: The rearview mirror may offer drivers a vantage point they’re used to, but the visibility may not be as great as on center-mounted in-dash screens, where the images tend to be larger. However dashboard screens require drivers to look down to view the camera and not over their shoulder.
- Parking sensors: Parking sensors offer an extra layer of protection against hitting an obstacle, but they tend to be found on more expensive cars. They’re usually better at picking up stationary objects like trees and poles, so sometimes they go off when there’s no imminent danger of hitting an obstacle. They are less sophisticated than cameras when it comes to detecting moving objects such as a dog child.
Looking for Great Backup Camera Options & Installation Service?
AutoWorks offers and installs a vast variety backup camera systems as well as other car audio & electronics services to towns in the Monmouth County area. Service towns include Middletown, Red Bank, Oceanport, Rumson, Little Silver, Marlboro, Freehold, Dayton, Aberdeen, Manalapan, Point Pleasant, Millstone Township, Long Branch, Spring Lake, Holmdel, Shrewsbury, West Long Branch, Fair Haven, and many more. To learn more about our great products and services. contact us today at 732-671-0225 or visit the website.
