Wireless Backup Camera Aims to Save Lives

My neck hurts from all the crazy blind-spot turning, either in driveways or just while parking, but it's an essential move to keep from hitting other cars, or, worse, living things, such as cats or people. (Apparently, 2,400 kids are accidentally hit by cars that are backing up each year, and Kids and Cars reports that two deaths a week occur—scary.)

I love the built-in backup cams found on high-end luxury sedans such as the Infiniti M45, but getting that kind of feature on a car usually requires annoying custom installation or cumbersome do-it-yourself installation with wires.

The Roadmaster Wireless Backup camera is the kind of installation-godsend that home-theater-in-a-box systems with wireless rear speakers are—namely, it's easy to set up because you don't have to run unsightly wires under carpets to connect the thing. But it's not that easy—you still have to hard wire the camera, running a cable from its mount on the license plate to your car's reverse light circuit.

The camera attaches to the top of your license plate holder and the 2.5-inch LCD monitor fits onto your dashboard, and uses the cigarette lighter for power. Then anytime you reverse, you can see what's behind the car on the screen. The camera is activated by the reverse light—hence the aforementioned connection.

I wouldn't recommend this as a complete replacement to turning your head, but it really does help with anything that might literally be right under your car (it has an 80-degree vertical camera viewing angle, and 100-degree horizontal viewing angle). And for $139.99, it sure beats the $41,000-plus smackeroos a luxury sedan like the M45 will cost you.