360 degree camera option…worth it?

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

Hi guys would appreciate your views. I’m considering buying the new model Ford Wildtrack 4x2 Auto - just over 1 million THB. It comes with a rear camera as standard, but I’ve been offered a factory build option of 50,000 THB for cameras on side and front. Question is it worth the money?

Obviously I will also be purchasing a dashboard camera.

Edited July 16, 2022 by LOTTELLEE WINNA

[Sloracer]

The 360 deg camera makes parking a breeze. I drive high performance cars with 30 series profile tyres so if i touch the gutter parking, the tyres offer no protection it ends up being $250 wheel refurb. If I touch the front spoiler on a gutter it's a $1000 repair. The 360 camera really helps to avoid this. 

The tyre gutter thing or front end clearance wont be a problem with the chunky rubber and ride height on the Wildtrack, but still very useful for getting into tight places.

[jetdoc]

2 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

Hi guys would appreciate your views. I’m considering buying the new model Ford Wildtrack 4x2 Auto - just over 1 million THB. It comes with a rear camera as standard, but I’ve been offered a factory build option of 50,000 THB for cameras on side and front. Question is it worth the money?

Obviously I will also be purchasing a dashboard camera.

The rear cam is more of a parking assist and if getting a dash cam, some have both front and rear. Don't know about the 50,000 bt option as was not offered in 2018.

Edited July 16, 2022 by jetdoc

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

Here is an explanation of the concept…is it a gimmick ora genuine aid. I can’t make my mind up.

 

[Garzan]

On a recent trip driving in Pattaya I wished I'd bought the Camry instead of the Altis so I could have had a 360 camera. I was on a small soi that had a large amount of roadwork being done. Trying to navigate the soi, I could not see where the obstructions were to the left and right, and did not want to put a big scrape on my car from the front loading bucket of the construction equipment also on the soi. With a 360 camera it would have been easy enough to see where everything was and not have to guess where everything was. There was a guy on the street waving me forward, but I'd have been far happier if I could have seen what was happening rather than trust someone else who would not have been paying for any body shop charges. 

Way back when, before I ever had one, I was sceptical on the value of a backup camera. Now I would not be happy in a car without one. I suspect I would feel the same way about a car 360 camera system if I ever had a car with that as an option. 

[jetdoc]

2 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

Here is an explanation of the concept…is it a gimmick ora genuine aid. I can’t make my mind up.

Way cool, no brainer - splash the cash. The only downside I can think of, one might become to dependent on the system and reluctant to look out the windows.

[Sloracer]

5 hours ago, Garzan said:

Now I would not be happy in a car without one. I suspect I would feel the same way about a car 360 camera system if I ever had a car with that as an option. 

Once you've had it and learn to rely on it you feel a little blind without it. Some of them are also configured for lane change warning. When your sensor Detects a car approaching in the lane next to you it will switch on that camera when the car is in your blind spot, and will display it on the side of the MMI screen that car is on.

I love the tech in new cars. The only freaky one is the emergency braking for rear end collision. When your backing out of a street and it detects crossing or oncoming traffic or objects and it slams the brakes on. The problem is false alerts. If there is a sizable dip in the road or branches moving in the wind it will activate and startle the crap out of you. It also makes a big grinding noise when brakes activate. The first time it happened I thought I had run over someone. And it can be embarrassing with people around. To avoid it going off your keep your foot on the break lightly when reversing.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

My conclusion is that the 360 camera might be useful. Lots of tight parking and manoeuvring in LoS…try parking a large vehicle in the Tukom multi in Udon Thani - spaces are built for mini cars. Also it’s a bit of a squeeze getting two cars on our driveway - so I’m going to purchase the camera package. Thanks for your input fellas.