Questions about the "rearview monitor"

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Azrich

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
533
Location
Tucson, AZ
I'm sure some of you have had a rearview monitor on a car you have owned. I've ordered the SL model. I have never owned a car with so many gadgets as my LEAF will have. I realize that not all vehicles work the same way but here are a couple questions:

Does the rearview monitor come on automatically when you shift into reverse?

Can you turn on the monitor while you are driving down the street or highway?

Is the picture in color or b/w?

Thanks.
 
Yes.
No (not normally on factory systems; some after market systems allow that).
Can be either; better ones are color. If color, at night (dark) most switch to B/W.

Important feature: the viewing angle. The Toyota/Lexus ones (the only one I am familiar with) are EXCELLENT and allow an extremely wide viewing angle ( I'm guessing 150-170 degrees ), so much in fact, it's almost like you're looking "around the corner". Not quite, of course, but being mounted so far in the back, it really helps to see traffic beyond that "obese" SUV parked next to you as you pull out of your parking spot and as soon as your bumper clears the SUV, before you ever have a chance to see it from over your shoulder.
 
The one on the Prius is very wide angle and would be useless as a rear view mirror 'on the road'. I think it would be cool if there were a 'normal' angle camera that you COULD use while driving. No more heads in the backseat blocking your view out the back of the car.

I don't know what the Leaf will do but on the Prius, the first point you can see on the ground behind the car is 18" back from the bumper. No way you are going to run over your kid or their toys. My wife initially found it somewhat disconcerting when backing out of a parking space with cars on both sides. You don't see the cars so much as moving color. She got used to it.
 
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