We need cameras because there’s no rear window anymore. The entire car is one flipping air bag container.
Each new car I get has less visibilty that the last. I could see everything in my late 80s Mazda. I just rented a new Kia and felt blind. I needed to ask the sonar operator for a course to steer to in that mini-submarine. But the backup camera with the steering aim points was way cool.
My adult daughter totaled her 2017 Camry XSE a few weeks ago. Much of the repair cost was associated with the damage the airbags did to the interior. Every air bag in the car deployed. The dash and interior was shredded.
Exactly!
Today’s cars are slopers. That means the rear window slopes at a 10 degree angle. Add to that huge rear seat head rests and huge D-pillars - the end result is that it’s useless to attempt to look out the back window when backing up.
Useless.