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New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.
Safety authorities have renewed calls to make rear view cameras standard on family cars. The price of a brand-new car with a rear view camera has limboed to a new low -- just $14,990 -- with the arrival of the new Honda Jazz hatchback. The price undercuts the previous low set by the Toyota Corolla sedan introduced six months ago for $20,700, which comes with a rear view camera and parking sensors.
The improved affordability of the technology has prompted experts to ask why rear-view cameras are still not fitted as standard to Australia’s top-selling family-sized SUVs. Rear-view cameras are not available on the most affordable versions of the Ford Territory or Holden Captiva 7 -- they’re standard only on the most expensive versions, typically priced in excess of $40,000 -- even though every Toyota Kluger has had a rear view camera since 2007.
Figures from Federal safety authorities show that almost 100 children aged up to 4 years were killed in driveways or car parks between 2001 and 2010 -- about 10 per year -- and more than 500 kids were seriously injured over the same period. “There shouldn’t be a price on safety,” said Christine Erskine, the executive officer of Kidsafe NSW. “Although nothing replaces active supervision and knowing exactly where your kids are, we would expect in this day and age that family safety would be a primary focus of family cars, irrespective of price range.”
The executive director of the Australian Automobile Association, Andrew McKellar, said: “It is frustrating that at times there is a slowness in taking up safety technology and this is an example of that. We would like to see all manufacturers acting quickly and responsibly to take up safety technologies. We want to see greater availability (of rear view cameras) across the top-selling models.”
A statement from Holden said the company planned to fit a rear-view camera as standard on the Captiva 7 by the end of this year. “From later this year, rear view cameras will be standard on all Holden Captiva 7s,” the statement said.
Ford Australia spokesman Wes Sherwood said: “We will continue to roll out rear-view cameras on more new vehicles and work with our dealers to offer Ford-approved systems for models that do not yet have factory offerings.”
The boss of Honda Australia says rear view cameras should be standard on most cars. “We think it really needs to be standard equipment these days,” said Honda Australia boss Stephen Collins. “As the (sales) volume increases, it enables us to make rear-view cameras available on cheaper cars.”
The shame file:
SUVs without rear-view cameras across their entire ranges in 2014
Audi Q3 (camera optional on all versions)
Audi Q5 (camera only on the most expensive versions)
BMW X1 (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Ford Ecoboost (camera not available on any model)
Ford Kuga (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Ford Territory (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Holden Captiva 7 (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Hyundai ix35 (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Jeep Compass (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Jeep Patriot (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Kia Sportage (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Land Rover Freelander (camera only the most expensive versions)
Land Rover Discovery (camera only the most expensive versions)
Nissan Patrol diesel (camera not available)
Toyota LandCruiser (camera only on the most expensive versions)
Volkswagen Tiguan (camera only on the most expensive versions)
The honours list:
SUVs with rear-view cameras across their entire ranges in 2014
Audi Q7
BMW X3
BMW X5
Holden Colorado 7
Honda CR-V
Holden Trax
Hyundai Sante Fe
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Sorrento
Lexus LX
Lexus RX
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-9
Mercedes-Benz GLA
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
Mitsubishi ASX
Mitsubishi Challenger
Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsubishi Pajero
Nissan Dualis
Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Patrol V8 petrol
Nissan X-Trail
Range Rover Sport
Range Rover Vogue
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Toyota RAV4
Toyota Kluger
Toyota Prado
Volkswagen Touareg
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