Drivaware Publishes Automakers' Scorecard on Driver Visbility and Average Blind Spot Zone Size

Automakers' average blind spot zones vary greatly. Automakers that produce larger, taller vehicles have larger blind spot zones than conventional passenger vehicles without impeded side and rearviews. All measurements do not account for the use of blind spot mirrors or blind spot detectors (like Valeo Raytheon's and Volvo's BLIS systems). Blind spot zone sizes are a combination of the side blind spot zones (as applicable in lane changes) but exclude the size of the rear blind spot zone that result when the vehicle is in reverse (backover condition).

Average Size of Model Lane Change Blind Spot Area (avg. for all 2006 models in feet)

Gift Ideas for Car Lovers

Did you know that some folks use cars for reasons other than getting from one place to the other? Of course you did! For many owning a car, suv, or truck is an extension of their personality. It's about driving a vehicle and making a statement with it. Budget permitting some will choose the latest in suvs or trucks, while others will choose a more reasonable set of wheels.  Everyone loves their Freedom Machine and does their best to enhance and personalize it so a gift of automotive accessories is a great way to warm their heart.

So what exactly do you buy?

Well your final selection depends to some extent on your budget, but if you are short for vehicle accessory gift ideas, here are a few – a non-magnetic cell phone pad makes a great little car accessory for that dashboard – maybe an ashtray with some zing, for those who smoke and refuse to quit?, then there are the slightly more expensive accessories like seat covers, luggage carriers and removable steps for those hard to reach areas like the top of a truck. Ask yourself what kind of person you are planning to gift – you would be the best judge of that – remember when you are buying an accessories gift, or any kind of gift, try and get something that you know the person in question would love to receive, not something that you would like to get on your birthday! The dashboard cellmate in particular is a must have for every sports utility vehicle owner, who often go cross country across rough terrain. Nothing like a CellMate cell phone padto keep that mobile phone, ipod and maybe the ray ban glasses from being knocked all over the place! The custom made seat covers are a great way to personalize a vehicle. Going custom is the only way for hobbyists even if it means waiting an extra week.

Skis are one of the hardest things to fit in or on a sports vehicle. Maybe you could get your friend a ski rack if he or she is going on a ski trip with the vehicle. The ski rack goes conveniently on top of the car where they hold the skis parallel and over the vehicle, leaving ample room for other luggage. So you can see there’s something literally for everyone in terms of car accessories as personal gifts. Such a gift would no doubt be well appreciated from the receiver, and isn’t that what we want at the end of the day.

LaneFX proven better solution to the blind spot problem than stick-on convex blind spot mirrors

Gifts With Vroom

Shopping for a passionate car lover this holiday season? Here are ten vroom-worthy car gifts sure to accelerate excitement

• View Slide Show

Auto advertisements are, without a doubt, at their most unrealistic during the holidays. The clichéd Christmas morning TV spot usually has a gift-receiver quizzically finding a set of keys in a tiny box, then rushing to the window and—surprise!—discovering a previously overlooked new car waiting in the driveway. Sometimes there's even an oversized bow. Probable? Not really.

Even setting aside the questionable practicality of such a stunt, gifting a new car is more than unlikely. Deciding on options, colors, and financing decisions, not to mention arranging insurance and title, tends to cull even the strongest inclinations towards holiday whimsy. But car lovers need not despair. The holidays can still be filled with copious auto-related gifts within every budget, from under $25 to way over $10,000.

Enthusiasts who get a rise out of practical gifts could have a lot to look forward to in particular—the old jokes about ties and sweaters notwithstanding. There's the low-cost Griffin's iSqueez that just may very well be the easiest and least-expensive automotive retrofit in history. The $9.95 rubber iPod stand molds to fit most cup holders, all without scratching your iPod in the process.

Branded Buying

And though in the world of auto gifts floor mats are admittedly conservative, for the right person—especially someone who uses the car for work—water and mud-proof mats may prove the gift that keeps on giving day to day. Edge-to-edge full-cuts like the ones made by RubberTite means mats protect the maximum amount of surface area.

Other practical gift ideas range widely. There are sophisticated electronics, like the $399 Magellan RoadMate 2000 GPS navigation system and the less expensive $149 PNI Silver Bullet Radar Detector. Then again, there are equally useful low-tech options, like Yakima's SkyBox Pro 21, which enables travelers to carry an additional 21 cubic feet of stuff wherever they go.

Hardcore brand loyalists have it made too. That's because the world's most luxurious and exclusive auto nameplates—from Aston Martin to Lamborghini—offer branded accessories and companion products. Such licensed products are often geared toward current owners and niche enthusiasts. They make great gifts whether you're already in the club or still saving up.

Two-Wheel Ferrari

Hardcore BMW fans all hail the power-mad "M" signifier. That's because M badged versions of BMW's cars are even sportier and more powerful than the company's regular fare. True enthusiasts can now carry that badge on their wrists with the Tourneau-made M Power Watch for $250. It features classic BMW looks, especially the precision dials.

But some brand loyalists need more than a wrist-top reminder of what's waiting for them in the garage. Enter the Ferrari & Colnago CF2 high-performance mountain bike. This is one brand extension that proves adept at its purpose. Like the supercars, the CF2 is made of carbon and light alloys, and it has hydraulic disc brakes. Not to mention a body design worthy of the Ferrari name. Price: about $7,500.

Of course, there are still extravagant options for those not fazed by the dealership experience and determined to pull the ultimate surprise. Real enthusiasts will tell you that the Porsche 911 Carrera is the closest man has yet come to engineering perfection in a sports car. And that's why the 911 makes the best over-the-top, all-out car gift. The only difficulty is finding a big enough bow. Price: $72,400.

Car-Savvy Gift Ideas for Drivers & Commuters

OhGizmo Special Product Review

LaneFX - Blind Spots Revealed

A lot of new cars include detection systems that will alert the driver when a vehicle (or some other large object) is sitting in their blind spot. Drivaware is now selling a third-party solution that does more than just alert the driver when something is in their blind spot, it shows them.

When the turn signals are activated the LaneFX system will automatically move the corresponding side mirror outwards showing the driver what might be hiding in the vehicle’s blind spot. The LaneFX system can also include the ParkFX feature which will automatically tilt both side mirrors down while the vehicle is being driven in reverse.

The Drivaware LaneFX system can be installed on any car with power side mirrors and is available in a Basic Edition for $197, a Highway Edition for $242 and a Commuter Edition for $296 depending on what features you may need.

Better than some automakers "detectors"

LaneFX actually shows you what's lurking in your blind spot!

How to Choose a Blind Spot & Backup Warning System

Know how the device mounts on your vehicle.

Camera and sensor systems that are mounted on the vehicle’s bumper or bodywork may necessitate drilling. They may not be the best choice if you lease your vehicle.

If you have a hitch, you can consider a model that mounts in the trailer-hitch receiver. But you would have to remove the system to use your hitch.

Other camera and sensor models mount on the license-plate frame. But some states prohibit frames because they can obscure the plate.

Within types, features vary. This is especially true with the sensor models we tested. The ultrasonic systems were generally the most sensitive, but their performance was adversely affected by rain, snow, or other inclement weather.

The microwave-based sensor systems we tested were not affected by weather but are less sensitive as a group. They also don’t warn the driver unless the vehicle or object behind it is moving.

The display quality of the camera-based models is very good, although it doesn’t match that of the larger screens on some carmakers’ systems. Most of the system displays turn on when the vehicle shifts into reverse, but one, the Audiovox, must be turned off and on manually.

More than 2,400 children are accidentally backed-up over each year in the U.S.

And of those, more than 100 die. With the proliferation of SUVs and mini-vans, drivers aren't aware of the enormous rear view blind spots that prevent them from seeing what's behind them, especially small objects, animals, people, and children. Some of these blind spots are even greater than the length of an average driveway! Senators Hillary Clinton (D-New York) and John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) have recently proposed legislation requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations aimed at reducing accidents that frequently kill or injure children in cars. But until that legislation is passed, it's up to the driver to protect their loved-ones and prevent a tragedy by using a Park Assist system or a backup camera.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 2,767 people were treated in emergency rooms from July 2000 through June 2001 because of backovers. "This is a huge problem," Fennell said. "A lot of [the problem] is due to the change in our vehicle mix" that has more people driving tall-profile vehicles, she said.

Indeed, Fennell's research indicates that "in 60 percent of the [backover] cases, it's a truck, van or SUV that's involved," Fennell said. The reduced rearward visibility is caused by the design and tall profile of SUVs, pickup trucks and even vans.

The top edge of the tailgates and liftgates in these vehicles typically sits high and so do the vehicles themselves. This means that unaware children and small-stature adults and anything not tall enough to be visible in the rear window glass might be run over as the vehicle is backing up.

Consumers can choose from a wider range of aftermarket vehicle-backup systems since our last report, including new and improved designs.

All such systems are intended to help drivers detect objects within the blind spot behind the vehicle.

New are camera systems such as the Audiovox and ParkFX we tested that offer a “picture in the mirror” feature. The display is on a mirror that fits on top of or replaces the existing rear-view mirror, so you don’t have to choose between looking at the display and at the rear-view mirror while backing up. ParkFX also combines a camera with an audible sensor, so you can see and hear potential trouble. We would like to see more backup warning systems on the market that combine camera and sensor technologies.

Backup systems are typically marketed as parking aids, not safety equipment. But our tests show that the camera models can also help drivers avoid backover-accident injuries and fatalities.