Don't have a rearview camera to help you see behind your car when you're backing up? Chances are you will soon.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday it will be requiring all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds to sport rear-visibility technology by May of 2018. The NHTSA reports there are 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries on average each year due to back-over crashes.
Congress actually passed a law in 2007 requiring the Department of Transportation to put a rule in place by 2011. When that didn't happen, a coalition of car-safety advocates and parents sued the Obama administration in September. The New York Court of Appeals was set to hear arguments Tuesday. (Via USA Today)
Forbes reports the camera's view must include a 10-foot-by-20-foot zone behind the car in addition to meeting other requirements, like image size, linger time, response time, durability and deactivation. (Via Forbes)
The NHTSA estimates 73 percent of light vehicles will already be equipped with the technology by the deadline and the new rules will save between 58 and 69 lives every year.
