No Rear Window / Rear View Camera

[tazairforce]

At my age I've found it more difficult to swivel my head around to look straight back. Add to this the headrests, grippy seat bottoms, and restrictive backrests, and it's not as easy to look out the back window anymore. The backup camera is a partial solution, although my experience with an aftermarket model or two has been less than optimal. The screen's small, so anything smaller than a child or a pet behind you probably won't be visible. Smaller toys are probably going to be toast. At night, your backup lights are insufficient to illuminate the area more than a couple feet behind your rear bumper - especially on blacktop. Kick the monitor into its highest-gain mode and you get to pick through the video noise to see if there is really anything there. Aftermarket and many OEM cameras are too cheap and their screens often are to small to provide reliable visibility after dark.

While the Lexus (and other cars) provide an outstanding camera back on the liftgate, it's still pretty grainy at night, although the view is still rather dark, even with a 7" monitor it's difficult to see much. A friend changed his backup lamps to higher powered incandescents, but then the excessive heat burned up his taillight lenses - not a good idea on a car with expensive parts. I'll bet a switch to LEDs would be the solution - if you could get ones to fit that are bright enough to be helpful. I'm not aware of any limits on the wattage of backup lights - as you find on other exterior lamps - but there must be some reason automakers don't furnish much in the way of illumination back there. A bottle of fireflies would work as well as most.

There is an alternative that I found to work very well, aftermarket manufacturers take note. Several automakers offer tilting mirrors that do a great job of showing what's behind you - if not at close range directly behind your rear bumper. It took me a few weeks to figure them out on my RX, but with the power mirror selector set to the center position, when you shift into reverse your sideview mirrors don't move. However, if you've selected either side mirror with the switch, when you shift to reverse, both mirrors tilt down a few degrees - enabling you to see what's on the ground near your rear wheels - out to about 30-40 feet behind you. Shift out of reverse and the mirrors go back to your preset position. I came to rely more on my tilting mirrors than my camera when backing, especially at night.

Dang, all that sounds expensive.
I have two , possible, Cheaper solutions.
1) As some of the Harley crowd advicate, 'Loud Pipes Save Lives', add a Loud exhaust, (Paul Yaffe put out one that would Wake up the dead) to sound like a hopped up Harley/Mustang/Charger/Camero.
2) Place another 139 DB, 49$ plus shipping, airhorn, at the rear, wired to the back-up lights to sound until you shift outta reverse. I like this the best because it's cheap and would get the attention of people/animals/kids, near and far. Even Big Foot would fail to take note of that. With the right switch hook up it Might discourage tailgaters also. You'll probably hear some one Holla 'Look out for that Truck'. Even a deaf adult/child/animal would look up and take Note, as they would feel the vibration.
Them toys would still take a hit tho.

 

[Jeff Miller]

I am probably unusual in that I am used to riding a motorcycle which only has side mirrors and I regularly drive vans and trucks pulling trailers which serve to render the rear view mirror useless so I am already very comfortable using only the side mirrors

I don't want to add fuel to the debate but when I ride my motorcycle I am like you and use the side mirrors to see what is behind me when I am moving. However, If I am backing my bike into a spot I find that most often I am turning my head to look at where I am going. The problem with a handlebar mounted motorcycle mirror is that if you are turning the bar to maneuver the bike the mirror will most likely not be pointing where you want to see.

On the elio you can't turn your head and look out the back because there is no window. The mirrors are however stationary on the body and will not swing as wildly as they do on a motorcycle so they should indeed provide good coverage when backing up.

 

[outsydthebox]

Don't forget you are driving a triangle with the tail squared off. The blind spot on the Elio is about 18 inches wide and extends out maybe 12 in.

I'll probably get one, too.

 

[outsydthebox]

Dang, all that sounds expensive.
I have two , possible, Cheaper solutions.
1) As some of the Harley crowd advicate, 'Loud Pipes Save Lives', add a Loud exhaust, (Paul Yaffe put out one that would Wake up the dead) to sound like a hopped up Harley/Mustang/Charger/Camero.
2) Place another 139 DB, 49$ plus shipping, airhorn, at the rear, wired to the back-up lights to sound until you shift outta reverse. I like this the best because it's cheap and would get the attention of people/animals/kids, near and far. Even Big Foot would fail to take note of that. With the right switch hook up it Might discourage tailgaters also. You'll probably hear some one Holla 'Look out for that Truck'. Even a deaf adult/child/animal would look up and take Note, as they would feel the vibration.
Them toys would still take a hit tho.

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

Side mirrors are not supposed to behave as rear view mirrors as so many people improperly use them and the Elio mandates

As a reformed truck driver, I disagree. Rear view mirror in my car and truck seldom get glanced at. Side mirrors are about all I use. Just a habit from a half million miles without a back window.

 

[Craig]

You don't need to see directly behind you for lane changes anyway, you're supposed to set your side mirrors so that when you lean your head against your shoulder you can barely see the side of your vehicle, thus covering your blind spots. Side mirrors are not supposed to behave as rear view mirrors as so many people improperly use them and the Elio mandates

Side mirrors are not supposed to behave as rear view mirrors as so many people improperly use them and the Elio mandates

Sounds like maybe you shouldn't get one if you have to go against your principles.

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Side mirrors are not supposed to behave as rear view mirrors as so many people improperly use them and the Elio mandates

Sounds like maybe you shouldn't get one if you have to go against your principles.

I plan on aiming my mirrors properly, getting additional stick on mirrors for a wider view, and a rear view camera. This and the Elgin dash are my only two real objections to the Elio.

 

[Edward]

I plan on aiming my mirrors properly, getting additional stick on mirrors for a wider view, and a rear view camera. This and the Elgin dash are my only two real objections to the Elio.

I fell in love with those parabolic mirrors the first time I used them. Now I'm trying to figure out how to steal the mirrors off my work truck and attach them to my car!

 

[msmith5150]

Like I posted in the other extensive camera debate:

Not being a wise ass, but what can you see with the camera that you can't see with the two outside mirrors? Just curious. There is no blind spot.

Everything enclosed has some kind of blind spot, the Elio's may be a small blind spot but it's there. Sitting in the seat looking only in the mirrors you can't tell me you'd be able to see, for instance, a 4 year old standing right behind you. The rear is at least two feet wide, so that in itself creates a blind area.

I'm not saying I'll NEED a camera back there, I might just want one. I won't know until I can actually see an Elio though. And living in Iowa, I likely won't see one until I either see someone else here driving one or I take delivery of mine.

 

[Jim H]

I have two cars and one has a backup camera. It is a really great OPTION but it is not a necessity. For those who want one go for it as an aftermarket product. The more we add to the basic Elio the more it costs and the longer it will be before production begins. I'm certain that there will be many upgrades to the second generation Elio's. Lets get the first generation produced, learn what can be improved and incorporate them in the following year production model.