Thread: NHTSA proposes mandatory backup cameras by 2014

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing new regulations to mandate back-up cameras in all passenger cars, trucks, minivans and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. If the proposed law goes into effect, automakers must get 10 percent of the fleet in compliance by 2012, 40 percent by 2013 and 100 percent of new vehicles by 2014.

These measures are being proposed by NHTSA to try and reduce the number of back-over fatalities and injuries that occur on a yearly basis. According to NHTSA, 292 people die every year from back-over accidents while another 18,000 are injured. Will making rearview cameras mandatory help curb this? Is it possible but is this another case where drivers are moving further away from knowing actual driving skills and closer to reliance on digital assistance?

In this case, perhaps not. Rearview cameras simply allow for a better picture of what's going on behind your vehicle, and with rollover standards and the increasing size of vehicles, rearward visibility in new vehicles seems to be getting worse, not better. Still, if NHTSA's proposal becomes law, there will be added cost passed on to consumers. Most luxury vehicles are already equipped with this technology – particularly those with navigation systems – but even if the systems aren't that expensive for automakers to install, they're likely to have a disproportionate impact on the MSRPs of inexpensive models.

In any case, you can read some more insight into NHTSA's proposal in their official press release after the jump.
NHTSA proposes mandatory backup cameras by 2014 — Autoblog

A good example of over-regulation. The govt is going to force ALL cars to have a device which will add $1000 to the cost of a car, to solve a minor problem primarily caused by bad driving skills. Car prices are already sky high, now it will be worse. I guess I will buy a used car next if they havent all been junked by another govt program to stimulate car sales.

Common sense solution at virtually no cost "pay attention to what you're doing".

Liberal solution. Spend billions, blame everyone you can, sue at the drop of a hat.....and make what's an insignificant problem much worse.