Did You Know? Rearview Cameras Have Been Around Since the '50s
Andrew Koole
· 3 min read
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Safety features
have become ridiculously high-tech in the last decade. Common contraptions like seat belts, airbags, and ABS brakes might still save more lives, but they don’t draw people to dealerships like lane keeping, park assist, and automated emergency braking.Rearview cameras
are another invention designed to make driving safer. Considered luxurious only 10 years ago, these cameras are now required for any vehicle made in the U.S. People often list them among modern safety features, but they’ve been around much longer than you likely realize. Buick was the first to present the idea in its Centurion concept car in 1956.
A brief history of the rearview camera
The Buick Centurion was a pretty cool concept car. Its bubble roof and cockpit made it look like it came out of an episode of The Jetsons.
Hagerty
says the car’s designers were so confident in the rearview camera that they didn’t give the car any mirrors.Buick’s wild idea made for some exciting headlines at the General Motors Motorama that year. But it didn’t actually catch on until 1991, when Toyota mounted a backup camera to a Supra-style coupe they offered to the Japanese market called the Soarer.
11 years later, the 2002 Infiniti Q45 became the first car launched in the U.S. with a backup camera as an optional feature. Many automakers followed, and the concept became a standard feature as early as 2015.
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Today’s reversing systems
Backup cameras might not be a new thing for cars, but the current market is using them like they’re going out of style. Besides providing a convex view of the street behind you, many vehicles also have side and front cameras to eradicate all your blind spots.
And cameras are just the beginning. Sensors now warn you of oncoming hazards and even brake for you if you ignore the flashing lights or vibrating driver’s seat. Parallel parking can be done with the click of a button.
By themselves, rearview cameras don’t do that much to reduce accidents. But coupled with sensors, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says they can reduce collisions while reversing by 42%.
How safety features affect car insurance
MORE: Tesla Follows Subaru's Lead for Driver-Assist Technology
Car insurance
is calculated based on value and risk—how much it will cost to repair or replace the vehicle and how likely it is that the driver will get into an accident while behind the wheel.Safety features like reversing systems increase the value of vehicles and include expensive parts to replace, but they also significantly reduce the chance of a collision in the first place.
While car insurance companies all have their own way of balancing the factors, the benefits of rearview cameras and sensors greatly outweigh the expense to replace them. In almost all cases, these features lower premium rates rather than raising them.
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