Best way to use the backup camera?

[Lil Mo]

Like you said, it is pretty cool!

I use it to see what is right under the car, but mostly I look to the left and right.

[mssmith95]

I use it many times a day. I am in field sales, and often have to parallel park a half dozen times a day. The camera lets me get into spaces I might never have tried before, as I can get within inches of the car behind me. I also use it to line up with the lines on the street with metered parking. I can't tell you how many times I used to have to get out to look to see if I was lined up, and then get back in and move the car. No more of that!

You may also find the instructions on adding a switch to turn the camera on whenever you want interesting (do a search). That way you can read the plate number of the idiot who is tailgating you...(or for you single people...get a little look at the cutie behind you)

Now for the addition of the camera on the front!

[Alnilam]

I find it useful to see how far I can back up before I hit something. Without the camera I'm never quite sure exactly where my tail is. If the camera shows space between me and the car behind, I know I am safe.

[withersea]

Great assist for watching for animals and children behind the car. It will probably save my cat's life many times.

[troe]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusRos @ Jul 20 2006, 04:07 PM) [snapback]289589[/snapback]</div>

It's cool -- but do you find the backup camera a really useful tool?

The backup camera lets you see things that are lower than the field of vision in the rear window, but you still have to turn around and look out the rear window when backing up because the camera cannot see anything that's approaching from the sides. The problem is, you can't look at the camera on the MFD and out of the window at the same time, so how useful is it really?

So, my question is, how do you get the best use out of the camera?
[/b]

My neibors kid left his tricyle behine me once, it really helped for that. I also found that it is the best way to allign my trailer hitch with the trailer when backing up to it.

[rudiger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pcflorida @ Jul 21 2006, 08:57 AM) [snapback]289877[/snapback]</div>

I also found that it is the best way to allign my trailer hitch with the trailer when backing up to it.[/b]

That sounds like the most consistantly practical application for the rear camera. Unfortunately, I doubt there are too many Prii with trailer hitches.

What I would like to see is a camera in the front bumper, too. The little tow-hook receptacle plug would be a perfect place to install one. It would seem like it would be just as useful to judge distances as the rear camera when parellel parking and seeing anything that's in front of the car below the line of sight.

A front and rear camera system could be used in conjunction with some sort of button on the dash (they'd have to come up with a different name other than 'park' for it, though). When parking, the driver could depress the button and the MFD would automatically toggle the camera between Reverse and Drive as the driver maneuvered into a parking spot.

Plus, it would be fun to turn the front camera on when just driving down the road.

The biggest problem would be the bugs and stuff obscuring a front camera lens, but that could be alleviated by installing a little electric door to cover the lens when not in use.