Car features Reversing cameras

Reversing cameras

Some reversing cameras show parking guides

Reversing cameras work in conjunction with an LCD display screen in the car’s dashboard.

They are available as an option on many new cars and are usually bundled together with sat nav at a cost of between £500 and £1,500.

A compact, wide-angle lens mounted on the tailgate or rear bumper relays a ‘live’ image of the area directly behind the car.

The picture is ‘flipped’ so that a mirror image appears on the screen, otherwise the driver’s perception of left and right would be reversed.

The camera image usually appears automatically on the screen when you engage reverse.

Many systems also use guidelines superimposed on the image (see above) to show the path of the car as you turn the steering wheel, helping to position the car.

Pros of reversing cameras

Aids rearward visibility, particularly in large cars, luxury cars and 4x4s.
Provides a clear view of the ground immediately behind the car, which is not usually visible from the driver’s seat.
Guidelines on some systems can help you park more accurately.

Cons of reversing cameras

Shouldn’t be used as a substitute for checking the mirrors.
Some drivers have difficulty adjusting to the camera view.
Pretty useless when the camera is dirty, and limited at night when it relies on the car’s reversing lights to illuminate the ground.
A potentially expensive option, though reversing cameras are usually now incorporated into sat nav/in-car entertainment systems.