How do you feel about back up cameras?
 

In 35 years of driving I've never backed into anything just using my mirrors and turning my head. My new/used A6 has a back up camera to help me out. I have to say I find it distracting. I guess I've been driving for so long that my backing up habits are well ingrained. Now that I have a camera, I feel like I should be looking at it. But, then my attention is more inside the car than out. I do find it useful for backing into parking spots.

By 2018 all new cars will have them. Thoughts?

I like my BU camera but I don't trust it. I still turn my head and look.

My company has two new company cars that have backup cameras. I don't completly trust just the camera, but is neat to see the imposed grid with colored lines as to how far things are behind you. It helps in a tight parking space or for backing up to a door/garge door, or I imagine, not running over things in the driveway for parents.

Much needed for SUVs. When my wife was driving her LR Discovery (no camera) she backed into a Mini Cooper that had pulled right behind her in a parking lot. Never saw it. We have a G37 with the camera and I'm always on edge when using it because it does not provide awareness of is going to be directly behind you in 2-3 seconds. If they build in some side looking technology to detect oncoming traffic (maybe they already have) it would be more reliable. The only real feature I like is being able to gauge distance to an object when parking.

I didn't have one either...until I backed into a concrete light post pylon that was missing its light post. It could not be seen out either side mirror or over the bed of the truck. They are useful for knowing if something short is behind me, but I don't use it for positioning.

I had a car with one. I didn't use it as a substitute for looking behind me, but it did give a view of an area I can't see with my mirrors. I wish I had one for my truck. It would make hooking up the trailer a lot easier.

Thought it was a gizmo until I got one with my car... Then not having it became stressful, especially when backing up my wife's LR3. I like them now, especially that one which is really a wide angle one, but I cannot use the camera exclusively to parallel park, amusingly.. the maneuver is embedded (and perfect) in my brain with me turning my head, if I trust the camera only, I screw it up everytime ;-) Old dog, new tricks...

As Java said, an absolute must for a SUV. Even on a small one like our Q5 it is a useful tool in conjunction with turning shoulders, head, and eyes.

Love it for parking, hooking up my trailer, still look behind, hate cleaning it all the time

The ultimate tool for hooking up a trailer alone that is for sure.

Have it in my wife's car. Great for parallel parking as the grid lines show you where you are going to end up. I always misjudge and either hit the curb with my rear tire or end up 2 foot away and have to try again. I have backed into things before that were low and not visible from mirrors or out the back window. The worst was in a parking lot where a pickup truck had a hitch receiver that stuck way out. Punched that dude right through my plastic bumper.

It is essential in my F350!

Frankly, I think they should be mandated for SUVs and trucks. Stories of people backing over children who are hiding behind their truck are not at all uncommon. They're not a substitute for looking around, but good to know what's directly behind you.

Slightly off topic story, but I'm telling it anyway. Many years ago, an acquaintance of mine was a truck driver, and he regularly drove in Detroit. He drove an semi. One summers day, he is sitting at a stop light, when suddenly the people in the car next to him started screaming at him and honking their horn, and telling him 'DON'T MOVE!'. This being Detroit, he wasn't sure what was going on. He put his window down a bit, and a woman yelled that there were children under his truck. Convinced he wasn't being robbed, he got out to find that indeed, some children who were playing hide and seek had gotten under his tractor as a hiding place! One of the kids had wedged himself between the drive wheels. He said he wasn't even fully out of the truck before the light had turned green. The kids, needless to say, would have been killed if he had moved.

I had a fancy new head unit installed in may car last year. I had them install a backup camera while they were in there. I use it for backing into parking spaces and a little for backing out. In the boxster, I can't usually see over all of the trucks and SUVs around here, so when backing out of a parking spot, I usually have a bit of tunnel vision, and can only see if there is something or someone behind me. I'll turn and look out of habit, and then once I've confirmed, I'll transition to the camera. They are great for backing into spots and making sure that you are straight and centered.

Okay for some cars, mandatory on all cars is just stupid, nanny state BS.

On my Audi, the warranty repair was $1500 for the camera. I know, Audi, but that's not a cheap component to add to cars and it doesn't age well...

Side note: I understand folks turning their head when backing up into a parking spot, or backing out of a spot. HOWEVER, it bothers me greatly when I see someone changing lanes on a highway at highway speeds turning their head to look over their shoulder to see if someone is in that lane. If you are constantly checking your mirrors, and you are aware of your surroundings (special awareness), then you shouldn't have to physically turn your head.

When you are travelling FORWARD at a healthy rate of speed (55mph or greater), you have no business looking at what is BEHIND you! Set your mirrors up correctly - be aware of the blind spots, know your surroundings, and you won't have to turn your head in that situation.

I've been driving for many, many years, and I very rarely turn my head to look behind me when changing lanes. I admit - I had a couple of blind-spot related close calls - but those were when I wasn't aware of my surroundings and should have known better. But never hit or side-swiped anyone - ever.

-Z

2006 BMW 335xi had one and it was nice.

2010 GMC Sierra didn't come with one, but I had one installed when I started towing. Tailgate is super high, so it's nice when backing up, and absolutely essential for hooking up the trailer.

The only thing I like about the back up cameras is for parking and only for seeing just hw much room I have. I am not a fan of them as a tool but they are okay as an aid. There is no replacement for proper driving techniques, and training.

I had one in my F350 and it was handy for lining up the toy hauler to the fifth wheel. I decided to put one in my HHR since there are times when I go shooting that the tall range box covers a lot of the view out the rear window and it is a safety thing. On the HHR forum there are many guys that want to be able to turn on the camera while driving..... seems a bit strange to me?