You read right. Not DVD players, but DVD recorders coupled to cameras > fore and aft.
>
> The police have them forward as we have all seen the world's worst drivers
> on Spike TV.
>
> I want the factory option to have one camera facing forward and one
> backward with wide angle lenses. Imaged to a split screen and running all
> the time the engine is running. Making this a factory option will lower
> the cost from thousands to maybe hundreds of dollars on a new car. >
> It would be money well spent. Good defense against short-cycled yellows
> on red light signals built free in revenue sharing programs by
> Lockheed-Martin. Just take your DVD into court and show the judge the
> trap. Also good defense in all kinds of tickets and accidents when you
> are not at fault. In case you're at fault, you can hit the "erase last 15
> minutes" button, so you don't incriminate yourself. It will make for a
> wonderful entertaining hobby nailing those reckless SUV drivers who race
> up behind you and swerve around you and speed off. Since the cameras will
> record your speed and time, you can just turn over your DVD to the cops
> and have a field day in court testifying against those SUVs and Pickup
> Truck bastards who just ain't got no respect.
>
> How about it, D-C? Put your best Krauts on this job and build in some
> real driver protection against bad traffic lights, mistaken police
> officers, lousy drivers and just plain bullshit we have to tolerate day
> in and day out. D-C, I know you're reading this newsgroup, so how about
> some action on this multi-million dollar idea?
Well Volvo has already started to address some of what you have mentioned although for different reasons (see below).
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address those problems, Volvo has installed a television screen in themiddle of the dashboard of the Concept Car, which was shown in San Franciscolast week. The screen displays a wide rear view and also provides maps anddriving directions. When the driver signals to make a turn or sets the carin reverse, cameras built into the door mirror and the third brake lightturn on automatically. The driver can then see what's going on behind him byglancing down at the 4-by-8-inch screen rather than turning around. Shouldthe kiddies in the back seat be in the process of making trouble -- likeremoving their seatbelts when the car is in motion -- the driver can nipmischief in the bud because there's a camera trained on them as well.The car also has a sensor that finds the whites of the driver's eyes,information from which the car's computer system uses in order toautomatically adjust the seat for optimal vision, as well as the steeringwheel, floor and pedals for optimal ergonomic comfort. The computer can savethat information about different drivers so that they are instantlyaccommodated whenever they take the driver's seat in the car.-------------------------------- Peter