A common complaint regarding the Prius is that it has poor visibility out of the rear of the vehicle... mostly due to the (low coefficient of drag) hatchback design. This only adds to the "blind spot" that almost every car experiences when driving, particularly causing trouble when one wants to change lanes or merge. Solution: why not integrate side cameras, similar to backup cameras, which project an image coming from the rear-side of the car when the driver enables the turn signal? The camera would essentially provide the driver with an eye in his/her blind spot. Has this been done before?
A much easier solution is to stick a bubble mirror on both of your outside mirrors. I have done this on all the cars I drive for the past 10 years or so because I do alot of congested city highway driving and it solves this problem just as good on the Prius as it did for our Explorer and my mom's mini-van. Just don't forget to still take a look over your shoulder everytime.
I have moved the rear seat headrests into the folded-down position and that seemed to increase the visibility towards the rear. I do wish I could turn on the rear facing camera all the time, like I do in my RV. Perhaps someone will come out with a computer mode for that.
The real problem is too many people don't adjust their side view mirrors correctly. The proper way to do it is adjust it outwards until you can no longer see the side of the car. You don't need to see yourself or the side of the car when looking in the side view mirror and this should eliminate most of the blind spots.
Drivers don't adjust their mirrors, they don't use their turn signals, they don't look before they act, they're too busy fussing with their hair or eating: their are plenty of ways in which we have developed sloppy driving habits. Adding a camera would just give drivers another excuse to be the victim if they got into a collision. Can't you see it: the accident isn't my fault, the camera made me do it. I'd rather focus on practicing fundamental safe driving skills. --TK
I like your camera idea, the infiniti has some kind of 360 view with cameras all around the car. I believe its for parking though. Mercedes has 2 cameras in the front for edging out into traffic at an intersection. Volvo and several others (inifiniti included) have what you are talking about and have little led lights on the mirrors indicating whether it is safe to pass. I'm all for automation as an augmentation to safe driving, thats the main reason I've ordered the V with ATP. Sure, I should devote 100% attention to the road ahead of me, but I know thats not realistic for 100% of drivers 100% of the time. Systems like these will encourage bad behavior by creating a false sense of security, but on the other hand, that sense of security is based on proven technology that doesnt get distracted, tired, or decide to text message while driving.
Really good point !!!!! Using technology is Not a solution to negligence, stupidity, or incompetence. Keith
