Gadgets Philippines – July 2019

44 July 2019 http://www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

New vision: An extra pair of eyes

Aiming for road safety with 360-degree car cameras

Anybody who’s driven a car knows that full awareness is key for a safe and enjoyable ride. What if, cars were equipped

with an extra pair of eyes to keep us even safer?

It’s amazing where new car technology is heading, but until the day comes when we could hop into our self-driving

cars and safely get from point A to point B effortlessly and safely, getting behind the wheel will always require us to

be our most responsible selves. It cannot be stressed enough that when on the road, safety is key, especially when a

simple mistake could cost people their lives.

If numbers were to put things into perspective,

then it would matter if you knew that about

a million people lose their lives in car-related

accidents each year. On average, that’s 3,000

casualties a day. For the lucky ones who survive

these types of lethal encounters, some may recall

scratching of heads, and the common, “Oops, I

didn’t see you” excuse. But what if, car technology

made it near impossible for a person to get into a

car accident?

Enter cameras in cars. An extra pair of eyes, and

the technology that comes with it. may just be the

solution to enhance awareness on the road. Last

year, countries like the United States and Canada

have made it mandatory for 2018 and newer

vehicles to be equipped with a backup camera.

Enhanced rearward visibility, as their respective

safety institutions put it, play a key role in preventing

backover accidents, of which, children are most

affected. Although regulation for better vehicle

visibility only recently becoming a mandatory in

some countries, the technology that enhances driver

visibility has actually been around for a while.

By Gerry Gaviola