While carmakers have another four years in front of them to implement the U.S. Department of Transportation’s mandate for rear-view cameras in all automobiles built from May 1, 2018, GM’s Buick unit made the decision to go ahead and add them as standard equipment on all 2015MY vehicles. Expect the other brands of the group to do the same.
The soon-to-be released 2015 Buick lineup will include the Verano, Regal and LaCrosse sedans, plus the Encore and Enclave SUVs.
GM cited a study made by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute in the fall of 2013, which found that “vehicles with rear backup cameras have a significantly reduced rate of backing crashes” with “97 percent of the backing crashes in this study involved striking another vehicle”.
Karl Brauer, a senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, was also mentioned in GM’s press blurb: “Rear backup cameras have become like power windows and air conditioning,” said Brauer. “While they’re not standard on every car, yet, it’s rare to operate a new vehicle without them. The increased confidence these cameras provide make them a must-have feature.”
By John Halas
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