We reported a couple of months ago that the law making backup cameras mandatory had been in the works and been discussed for the last few years (since the days of president George W. Bush, who signed in support of it in 2008) had been postponed for a 2015 introduction.
That is still the case now, it’s just that consumer groups are “taking the Obama administration to federal court,” with a lawsuit that is scheduled to be filed later today, according to an Autonews report.
The main accusation is the Department of Transportation (DOT) which, in 2010 did propose that backup cameras become mandatory, only for it to postpone their introduction multiple times after, now setting the 2015 deadline we already know of…
Granted, they did recently add the rear-facing digital eyes to the list of ‘recommended safety features’ under the federal New Car Assessment Program, but that only recommends that manufacturers fit the devices, and the final decision lies with them – this won’t be a revolution, but it will encourage the automakers to fit them.
I personally don’t know what all the fuss is about, to be honest, since so many cars are getting these backup cameras almost as standard, and they are far more common than they were three years ago. Moreover, the market is slowly adopting them too, and they will definitely become a requirement like all the other crucial safety features, just not in 2015, unless a draconian law governing it is passed.
Besides, if you really want one on your car, fitting an aftermarket one is oh so simple, as the Car&Driver video posted below shows. Next up on the list, having cameras instead of rear-view mirrors…
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO