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Re:Some new BMWs won't have touchscreens thanks to chip shor... by dreamcompiler on Saturday November 06, 2021 @10:40AM (#29130546)
It's now mandated by law that new cars have back-up screens. That's a helpful safety feature, but I fear it's also teaching new drivers that one cannot back up a vehicle without a screen. If such drivers find themselves pulling a trailer, driving a rental truck that has no screen, or driving an ordinary car with a bike rack on the back that obscures the camera's view, they'll suddenly find themselves unable to reverse the vehicle. Don't get dependent on the screens; learn to use the mirrors and swivel your head.
Re:Some new BMWs won't have touchscreens thanks to chip shor... by chrisseaton on Saturday November 06, 2021 @10:42AM (#29130566)
No amount of swivelling your head allows you to see the blind spot right behind you - not using a screen is really dangerous which is why they made them mandatory.
Re:Some new BMWs won't have touchscreens thanks to chip shor... by Melting_Harps on Saturday November 06, 2021 @05:08PM (#29133813)
> No amount of swivelling your head allows you to see the blind spot right behind you - not using a screen is really dangerous which is why they made them mandatory.

I've worked in the auto Industry for a large part of my life in some form, and even when cameras are installed their are a lot of owners (mainly older) who don't use them.

I can use them or not since I've spent enough time staging cars, so while it's a useful tool to have them it's specious reasoning to think they are an absolute answer to all accidents that happen when you back up. It's just as odd as thinking as somehow cars with auto-dimming headlamps when the turn signals are on are what was necessary for others to see you want to turn--I have no problem seeing this even on motorcycles as I ride and tend to be rather vigilant to these lights just to not get hit. It's akin to thinking that all cars must have a self-parking feature.

Honestly, I place more blame on mobile phones for needless accidents than anything else on the road these days, second only to tired or careless drivers. Both of which I have been guilty of at some point, too.

Re:Some new BMWs won't have touchscreens thanks to chip shor... by dreamcompiler on Saturday November 06, 2021 @04:27PM (#29133542)
And yet making them mandatory does not mean they will suddenly appear everywhere, so it's still a good idea to have a backup plan (npi).

It sounds to me like you think I'm against backup cameras, but I like them. My concern is that they are not always going to be present and working, so it's still a good idea to learn to safely reverse a vehicle without a camera. Speaking as someone who frequently drives fire trucks, ambulances, and large RVs, it's simply incorrect that it's somehow impossible to safely reverse a vehicle without a camera. Cameras are helpful tools but training and care should still be a driver's #1 safety priority.