New car, no rear window

I rarely use my rear view mirrors but rely on the camera.

Personally I like a rear view window, but working for in different emergency front line vehicles over 4 decades many vehicles do not have rea windows. So will be nothing new for many of us

Not for me.

@1summer,
Your son has done amazingly well, as the Polestar 4 isn't even expected to be available in the UK until August!
I know, because our DS has one on order!
At a starting price of £59,990, I think he's mad!

I love my reversing cameras but it did take a while to get used to them and I found that changing the way it is presented made a considerable difference. My husband finds the reversing camera harder to use but I think that is because he doesn't use it that often.

To be honest, it beggars belief really. Many years ago drivers were fined if their rear window was blocked by items such as cushions and boxes and toys, now it seems to be okay. Can all the drivers that were fined get their money back.

New technology gives the driver a view when there is no back window. Cushions, boxes and toys do not. I don't think the Court of Appeal will see this as a reason to find in the favour of a defendant.

So while your attention is occupied by staring at the camera you might not notice the car in front that you're about to shunt into........

crikey at the price

I have given up driving, so not for me!

I drive on the motorway by looking forward and constantly glancing at my rearview mirror. I don’t think a camera would be the same. It’s a no from me.

mae13

So while your attention is occupied by staring at the camera you might not notice the car in front that you're about to shunt into........

You use it exactly the same as a rear view mirror so nothing changes. We have one in our camper van as we have no back windows.

All these screens in cars do not take in the distraction problems it will cause the neurally diverse, sorry to bring this fashionable term into this discussion but I have dysparaxia and ADHD and the flickering screens would be a constant distraction drawing my eyes away from the road.

Fortunately I drive really old cars, too old for in-car screens, but when I sit in the passenger seat of DD's car, I am very conscious of the in car screen and no matter how hard I try to just look ahead, my eyes are constantly wandering to the screen.

If ever I have to have a car with a screen, I will knit it a screen cosy to cover it, something I can whip off if I ever need the screen, backing or similar.

If you're looking at a screen, you aren't looking at the road... are you?

I use my screen as a better rear view mirror- don't watch it all the time and hardly at all when going forward.
It has lines that help me place my car correctly.

And it doesn't flicker at all.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

What happens when something goes wrong with all the techical fittings. Not all vans have rear windows, wing mirrors doing the job. When towing a caravan, again not all have rear windows for a through view. We have become reliant on all the gadgets in cars these days. I'm still learning about some on my 22 month car. Only a couole of weeks ago discovered I have an emergency locator button near the roof light. Pressed it by mistake when friend had dropped something. Next think I knew, a voice asking what kind of emergency eg had I overturned, trapped in vehicle.Near scared us to death. GPS used for location had I had a severe accident.

I'd give it a go out of curiosity but think it would take a while to acclimatise, if ever.

kittylester it is fine for you to say don't watch it all the time and hardly at all when going forward., but if your mind works differently and over responds to distractions, it iss not so simple.

M0nica

kittylester it is fine for you to say don't watch it all the time and hardly at all when going forward., but if your mind works differently and over responds to distractions, it iss not so simple.

To be fair M0nica, very often these things are able have different light settings which can help a little bit if you are easily distracted. On a more comforting note, rear view mirrors are likely to outlive you and I!

To be honest I like good visibility all way round my car, rather like a greenhouse!! This is all very well until it goes wrong and costs the price of a new car to repair!!
I was a coach driver for 20+ years, so for me had to rely on mirrors only and still drive relying on them, but feel many people will struggle driving this way!

Ah well that's a thumbs down for the Polestar.
Have to stick to my Skoda

It doesn’t appeal to me.
How much? !! 😱 - can’t afford one anyway.

Absolute respect to drivers of coaches and large lorries! The skill they have is amazing. I have a very elderly Citroen C3 which does not have bells and whistles to help me park (no camera at the back) but at least I can see out of the back windscreen (unless it’s raining because it doesn’t have a wiper on the back). I do worry about the many things to go wrong with modern cars that rely on the electronics working properly.

I'd love one if they want to give me one, to persuade grandmas of their versatility!Alternatively they could just give me the cash and I could buy something with more room for the dog than my Fiesta and still have some leftover to spend going somewhere for a drive.

Looks the biz, but it's electric, uses 4 x more metal than a normal one including rare earth metals probably mined by children - and they catch fire, no thanks!

It will be a long time before this car bcomes cheap enough on the secondhand market for me to be able to afford it.

Jaxjacky

The Polestar, from Volvo, has no rear window, so increased rear headroom. A roof mounted rear camera provides a visual feed to the driver.
What do you think?

I see Volvo has pulled out of its collaboration with Chinese Polestar saying that the EV market is now declining after the initial hype and the growing realisation that EVs are no longer the panacea they were once thought to be.