What is it?

There are a variety of tools that make backing or parallel parking a vehicle easier. Much of this research has been focused on the trucking and freight industry. Some backing systems are integrated into the vehicle, some are tools that can be attached to a vehicle.

One option is a rear-mounted camera system, which is also useful when hooking up to a trailer. These systems include a black-and-white or color camera that gets mounted on the rear of the vehicle. Some cameras mount to a trailer hitch, some replace a third brake light, and some can be mounted anywhere. All of these systems require a monitor so so the driver may view the camera's input, but the monitor and camera are sometimes sold separately. There are several styles of monitors available, including monitors that attach to the rearview mirror, monitors that mount in the dash or center console, monitors that are part of the stereo head unit and monitors that are built into a replacement rearview mirror.

Another high-tech choice is a backup warning system (also known as a backup alarm, backup sensing system or collision avoidance system). These systems use microwave or ultrasonic technology--including one or more sensors mounted on the rear of the vehicle--to locate obstacles. This information is transmitted to a display inside the car or truck, which provides an audible and/or visual warning to let the dirver know they are nearing an obstacle. For instance, some systems begin to beep slowly when the driver is about 7 feet from an object, then beep more frequently (or urgently) as the dirver gets closer.

For Trucking

One Fleet Safety and Collision Avoidance System has three - six ultrasonic sensors built into the rear bumper, a dedicated computer and a digital display inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is put in reverse, the sensors send out signals that bounce off objects that are within range of the sensors. The same sensors detect these bounced signals, which in turn, feeds the signals to the computer. The computer then determines how far away the objects are relative to the rear of the vehicle and sends a signal, consisting of a series of beeps, to the digital display in the vehicle. As the vehicle approaches an object the interval between the warning beeps gets shorter until the distance to the object is about (12 inches) when the beep sounds continuously and 00 is displayed on the digital screen. The Reversing Sensor System starts to detect objects at about (9 feet) from the rear bumper, but Stratus warns that the detection range and sensitivity will vary with different objects, and that solid steel or concrete for example are easier to detect than perhaps a plastic garbage bag or a bush

Supply Companies

Lower tech solution

Rearview camera systems are available from such companies as Audiovox (www.audiovox.com), Audiovox Specialized Electronics (www.asaelectronics.com), Clarion (www.clarion.com), Hilborn Motors (818-345-2113), Magna Donnelly (www.donnelly.com), Roldan Products Corporation (www.roldanexport.com), Rosen Products (www.rosenentertainment.com), Santeca Electronics (www.santeca.com), ShowFX (www.hitchcam.com) and Wysco (www.wysco.com).

Higher tech solution

These systems are available from such firms as American Road Products (www.americanroadproducts.com), C-Back International (www.c-back.com), Karbiz Associates (www.karbiz.com), Mobilistics (www.mobilistics.com), Nassau Technologies (www.nassautech.com), New Millenneum Technologies (www.newmillenneum.com), Rostra Precision Controls (www.rostra.com), Sense Technologies (www.sensetech.com), The Third Eye USA (www.3rdeyeusa.com), VDO Performance Instruments (www.vdo.com) and Wiland Industries (www.wilandind.com). http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=30884

http://www.smartpark.net/sensors.html

http://www.autowatchamerica.com/

http://www.tailgauge.com/

http://www.reversebackingsystems.com/index.php

http://www.kidsandcars.org/technology.html