Mandatory Backup Cameras

Rear-facing cameras used to be a selling point for cars of the future. By May 2018, the feature will be required on nearly every new vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Monday that it is rolling out a rule that will require every new car, SUV, and minivan, as well as some new small trucks and buses to have rear-visibility technology by May 2018. The agency estimates the new rule will save lives each year and help curb the 15,000 injuries, mostly to young children and the elderly, that back-over accidents cause every year.                 

   

Already rear-visibility technology is available on two-thirds of the nation’s 50 top-selling vehicles, according to the Auto Alliance, an association of 12 top vehicle manufacturers. The technology must provide a field of view that includes a 10-foot by 20-foot zone