Backup Cameras Still Absent on Key Vehicles

share on:
Brandmotion backup camera for Jeep Wrangler

Many leading car models, even in the luxury segment, do not yet include a backup camera option.

Audi makes 14 trim levels that don’t have a backup camera option available, and most of these are in the “Premium” or “Premium Plus” trim levels, according to a new study by Brandmotion.

Despite the government mandate calling for a backup camera in all vehicles by 2018, “it still surprises us…that more manufacturers haven’t yet implemented this important safety feature across their entire line,” said Brandmotion President Jeff Varick.

Of Jeep’s 45 trim levels, only 11 offer a backup camera package as standard equipment and the remaining 27 trim levels have no factory options available.

Nissan and Volkswagen each have 23 trim levels without a rear-vision option.

Many General Motors vehicles still come without cameras including the Chevy Silverado, Malibu, Impala and Cruze.   Silverado truck buyers must upgrade to an LS trim just to have the option to purchase a camera. Impala buyers seeking the camera option could be paying upwards of $1,100 and Malibu buyers must pay $1,125 to $1,850.

While Ford has started to include cameras with most of its fleet, the new F150 XL trim level offers only an optional camera and the option costs a whopping $1,800 to $2,000.

Those dealers who see a lot of RAM trucks will find that cameras are offered mainly as options except for the higher trim levels (Sport and Laramie). And the options can cost over  $1,000.

Brandmotion chart on backup camera optionsSome car makers do provide backup cameras either as standard or as an option throughout their lineup including Acura, GMC, Honda, Infiniti, Lincoln, Rolls-Royce and Volvo. Subaru also includes it on almost all of their lineup.

The Brandmotion study provides a chart for retailers with a section showing “opportunities” for a camera.  Red indicates no opportunity (cameras are standard), yellow means the camera is an option and gives you the cost of the option so you can sell against it and green means there’s no camera option.  The chart was completed in mid July and examines cameras for 2015 and some 2016 car models.

Brandmotion is also developing a similar chart for factory 360 camera systems.

Dealers interested in the chart may email Scot Clemons at  [email protected]

Source: Brandmotion

Want to receive industry news? Sign up here
share on: