How to add a backup camera to your car

Rearview, or backup, cameras have become increasingly common on new cars, adding a measure of safety and convenience when reversing. If your late-model car is not so equipped, there’s an aftermarket retrofit available that will work as well as a factory original. 

Mounting evidence shows that rearview cameras help avoid accidents that involve backing into an object or—worse—a child invisible from the driver’s seat. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), if all cars had rearview cameras, about 60 lives a year could be saved in the U.S. We consider a rearview camera a must have, especially for an SUV, pickup truck, or any other vehicle with a big blind zone straight back. But beyond the life-saving potential, a rear camera is a welcomed convenience that you would appreciate every day, as you back out of or into parking spots.

If your car was produced in the last decade, chances are it already has a display screen in the dash used for at least audio functions. These screens can often be used with camera retrofit kits, enabling a very tidy installation. Good packages start around $120 for the Japanese brands and go up to about $600 for the German brands. The kits contain the lens, a camera module for the screen and all necessary wiring and connectors. No splicing of wires is required. This style is much better than some cheapo alternatives that can leave a lens dangling above the license plate or attach a fuzzy screen to the rearview mirror.

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Typically, installing a proper rear camera demands some advanced do-it-yourself skills and will take about three hours due to the careful removal of the rear hatch lining and other trim running all the way to the dashboard. This requires care and expertise. But not everyone has the time or skills to take on such a project in their own driveway. Unfortunately, franchised car dealers are reluctant to install these aftermarket retrofits, and we’ve found nationwide chains like AutoZone and Pep Boys won’t perform such installations, either. The good news is that Best Buy’s Geek Squad will do the installation for $99. Many local car audio/electronics shops can also perform the installation.

Here’s a list of vehicles that already have the infrastructure to be compatible with a model-specific aftermarket rearview camera:

Brand	Prerequisite	As of . . .
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep	myGig screen	2006 and later
Ford/Lincoln	MyFord/MyLincoln Touch	2011 and later
Buick/Cadillac/Chevrolet/GMC	Color screen	2007 and later
Honda	Color screen	2011 and later
Mazda	Color screen	2012 and later
Mercedes-Benz	COMAND screen	2006 and later
Subaru	Color screen	2013 and later
Toyota/Lexus	Color screen	2008 and later
Volkswagen/Audi	Radio/navigation screen	2009 and later

I bought such a kit online from BimmerTech for my wife’s 2011 BMW X3 for about $600. Having a shop and a few qualified technicians at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center certainly made installation a lot easier than it would be otherwise. The kit contains a camera integrated into a rear-hatch handle, a few wiresets, and a computer module.

Once installed, the camera automatically took over the screen when the car was put in Reverse. The model I bought came with optional guidelines on the screen, aiding backup maneuvers. All told, this was a nice upgrade that was worth the investment.

Many brand-specific retrofit modules are available. Just search online for your car's model and "rear camera retrofit." You can also find them from major online retailers, such as Amazon and Crutchfield, or specialty online sites, such as Coastal Tech (focus on Detroit 3 upgrades). 

If you had new-car envy because of this helpful feature, know that there are upgrades available.

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How automakers are trying to stop hackers from taking over your car

When researchers at two West Coast universities took control of a General Motors car through cellular and Bluetooth connections in 2010, they startled the auto industry by exposing a glaring security gap.

Five years later, two friendly hackers sitting on a living room couch used a laptop computer to commandeer a Jeep from afar over the Internet, demonstrating an even scarier vulnerability.

“Cars don’t seem to be any more secure than when the university guys did it,” says Charlie Miller, a security expert at Twitter, who along with well-known hacker and security consultant Chris Valasek, engineered the attack on the Jeep Cherokee.

Fiat Chrysler, the maker of Jeeps, is now conducting the first recall to patch a cybersecurity problem, covering 1.4 million Jeeps. Experts and lawmakers are warning the auto industry and regulators to move faster to plug holes created by the dozens of new computers and the growing number of Internet connections in today’s automobiles.

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2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport Test Drive

You can’t always start at the top, but it’s nice to know you have a chance to get there.

The Discovery Sport is Land Rover’s new entry-level model, and the first in its soon-to-grow Discovery line of street-smart crossovers. It mixes country club style with just enough off-road cred to earn the Land Rover logo.

Inside, the compact SUV is as snazzy as a boutique hotel bar, and the trimmings live up to its $38,065 starting price. It’s primarily a five-seat vehicle, with a roomy, adjustable second row, but two-seat third row is available for $1,750. They’re handy, but so small that Land Rover accurately refers to them as +2. The cargo bay they fill may be better left empty, and provides a nice big space when it is. Packing for a week-long trip for a family of four or five should be no problem.

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 (Land Rover)

Don’t let the name fool you. “Sport” in this case really means “fun size,” and there will be a larger Discovery model arriving next year. Nevertheless, its 240 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and nine-speed automatic transmission combo provides enough punch to keep things lively, even though it likes to hunt for fuel economy in the upper gears, where it finds 26 mpg on the highway. Floor it to pass or merge, for instance, and it can take a good three or four count before anything particularly sporty happens, even in Sport mode.

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 (Land Rover)

Whether you are or aren’t doing that, the Discover Sport is supremely quiet inside, with a smooth and composed ride, even on twisty roads. This is despite the fact that it has 8.3 inches of ground clearance and some serious, stone-stepping wheel articulation to go with it.

It’ll also wade through nearly two feet of water, thanks to hefty door seals and an air intake positioned out of the splash zone, high and to the side of the engine bay. The standard all-wheel-drive system offers modes for a variety of surfaces, including gravel, sand, snow and grass, the last perfect for navigating outdoor music festival parking areas and creating general mayhem on a Scottish Moor or your local golf course.

I refrained from doing that, but did take it into the deepest darkest forests of New Jersey. (Hey, they have wild bears there. Take that, Scotland.) On a particularly steep and rocky trail it proved that it has more mettle than anything in its class, if not a Range Rover or Jeep Grand Cherokee. I wouldn’t go looking for trouble in it, but you should be fine if you make a wrong turn.

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How To Buy The Best HID Kit For Your Vehicle?

Have you decided to install a HID kit in your car? Do you want to add xenon lights? A HID kit has a lightning system with two sets of bulbs, two ballasts and two starters. They are specifically designed for people who want to brighten up the space. It has also become popular among all car enthusiasts.

HID kits also last longer in comparison to any other kit. It's the perfect replacement for your existing bulb. You can also install it easily. Have a look at the following tips to get the best deals on HID kits:-

Tip 1

It's very important to choose a kit that is compatible with the make and model of your car. You should check the kind of bulb used in the original headlights of the vehicle. Determine whether you should choose low beam or high-beam lights for your vehicle.

Tip 2

When you have decided to install Xenon lights in your vehicle you have to make sure that they have a plug and play option. This means that you can install it easily. Although there are many companies out there on the market who claim to offer the best kit but there are some which need changes. This is one of the major reasons why you should take time to do research before choosing any kit.

Tip 3

You should also make sure that the kit you have chosen offers warranty. A high-quality HID kit usually has a very long warranty. A long warranty usually means fifteen years. It's your responsibility to make sure that all the parts of the kit are properly covered. You should also check the bulbs. If there are any defects in the kit you have to figure out a way to get a warranty replacement quickly.

Tip 4

It's advisable to do a little bit of research about the company from where you will buy the product. Look for a reliable and trustworthy company that can offer quality products at a pocket-friendly price. There are many fake companies who may cheat you. Look for a reliable company with positive reviews from existing customers.

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