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I've got a 2017 Miata with absolutely no screens at all, which I love. There's a law now requiring all cars to have backup monitors, so I plan on keeping this c

I've got a 2017 Miata with absolutely no screens at all, which I love. There's a law now requiring all cars to have backup monitors, so I plan on keeping this car for another 30 years.

orev 4y ago
A backup camera/monitor is a game changer, so not really the best place to draw the line. I think you’re probably more concerned with them also using the monitor to do other things.
- toxik 4y ago
  Why? I used them and I am wholly unimpressed.
  - pavon 4y ago
    They have around double the angular field of view in both vertical and horizontal directions, and their placement at the rear of the car has a clearer line of sight than you do looking back from the front of the car. A rear view mirror (or even turning your head) has huge blind spots in comparison, including below the rear window where children and animals could be walking, and both sides which can be blocked by adjacent cars when parked, or landscaping when backing out of a driveway. At first, I didn't like the lack of spacial positioning you have when you turn around and look with your own two eyes, but in reality I only need that when navigating an odd route in reverse, whereas I always benefit from the increased view that a camera provides.
    - 4ad 4y ago
      A rear camera could have its display in the rear view mirror, it doesn't need a display in the dashboard where it will be repurposed for everything else.
      - pavon 4y ago
        It could, although with the increased field of view, you would either need a significantly larger mirror, or smaller image neither of which are ideal. It would also need to be brighter to be visible with daylight in the background (although that would be good on a dash display as well to minimize eye adjustments). My car actually has both. I think the rear view mirror display is primarily intended to be used at night to avoid glare, and is enabled using the same toggle as a traditional prismatic anti-glare mirror. To keep the image at approximately the same scale as the real reflection, the image is significantly cropped compared to what is seen on the dash display. It is fine for situational awareness, but I never use it for backing up.
  - dangus 4y ago
    Parallel parking
    - toxik 4y ago
      But that’s what bumpers are for!
  - yibg 4y ago
    Backing out of a drive way with parked cars blocking my view down the street. The camera being in the back can see incoming cars that I can't.
tim333 4y ago
I recently sold my 31 year old Miata and they last well.

I've got a 2017 Miata with absolutely no screens at all, which I love. There's a law now requiring all cars to have backup monitors, so I plan on keeping this car for another 30 years.

orev 4y ago

A backup camera/monitor is a game changer, so not really the best place to draw the line. I think you’re probably more concerned with them also using the monitor to do other things.

toxik 4y ago
Why? I used them and I am wholly unimpressed.
- pavon 4y ago
  They have around double the angular field of view in both vertical and horizontal directions, and their placement at the rear of the car has a clearer line of sight than you do looking back from the front of the car. A rear view mirror (or even turning your head) has huge blind spots in comparison, including below the rear window where children and animals could be walking, and both sides which can be blocked by adjacent cars when parked, or landscaping when backing out of a driveway. At first, I didn't like the lack of spacial positioning you have when you turn around and look with your own two eyes, but in reality I only need that when navigating an odd route in reverse, whereas I always benefit from the increased view that a camera provides.
  - 4ad 4y ago
    A rear camera could have its display in the rear view mirror, it doesn't need a display in the dashboard where it will be repurposed for everything else.
    - pavon 4y ago
      It could, although with the increased field of view, you would either need a significantly larger mirror, or smaller image neither of which are ideal. It would also need to be brighter to be visible with daylight in the background (although that would be good on a dash display as well to minimize eye adjustments). My car actually has both. I think the rear view mirror display is primarily intended to be used at night to avoid glare, and is enabled using the same toggle as a traditional prismatic anti-glare mirror. To keep the image at approximately the same scale as the real reflection, the image is significantly cropped compared to what is seen on the dash display. It is fine for situational awareness, but I never use it for backing up.
- dangus 4y ago
  Parallel parking
  - toxik 4y ago
    But that’s what bumpers are for!
- yibg 4y ago
  Backing out of a drive way with parked cars blocking my view down the street. The camera being in the back can see incoming cars that I can't.

tim333 4y ago

I recently sold my 31 year old Miata and they last well.