Auto Trends

We knew this technology was coming, but who would have guessed that it would be Nissan bringing it to us first. It is called an “around view monitor” and it is basically a high tech monitoring system that can give a birds eye view of your vehicle while you are driving to check for any obstacles around you at any given moment.

The first vehicle to be given this technology on American soil is said to be the Nissan Elgrand, which is a rather odd looking van that looks like the cross between a Ford Aerostar and a Scion XD. But if you don’t like that, you won’t have to wait around long until the Infinity EX35 has the same nifty gadget.

Infinity EX35

By this December, both these vehicles will be ready to take a new step into the future of exact and specific virtual vehicle location awareness. The reason it is virtual, is while these are true high resolution cameras, the vehicles monitoring system actually takes the view and makes it into an easy to follow colored graphic that is far more effective than the standard “back-up camera” of yesteryear.

The graphics are very similar to a video game or GPS layout, which will make many of todays younger generations even more comfortable behind the wheel with such familiar territory. Instead of using a GPS type of tracking system (of which would not be accurate enough to maneuver tight spots), the “Around View Monitoring System” will consist of four ultra wide-angle high-resolution cameras hidden within the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle.

The systems main use will be for the “parallel parking impaired”. Tight spot parking will become rather simple as the cameras give you a comprehensive view of all angles of the vehicle at any given moment. Then to make things even easier, depending on whether you are in drive or reverse, the camera will shift the view accordingly.

But ultimately the drivers main choices are between side views and an overall top “birds eye” view. And if you are also technology challenged and would rather stare at wallpaper than figure out how to program a remote control, the system also come equipped with sensors that audibly warn the driver when approaching a fixed obstacle.

While this is certainly not as exciting as a device that makes fuel out of last nights leftovers, for those of you with the ultra huge SUV’s, this will bring a new sense of maneuverability and safety when involved in heavy city driving… and parking!