Computers are starting to take on a larger role for America’s drivers, and by May 2018, manufacturers will be required to include back-up cameras in their vehicles.
The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration issued the final ruling Monday.
The decision will “expand the required field of view for all passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, buses and low-speed vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 pounds,” according to the final ruling.
This ruling will also satisfy the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007. This act combats vehicle incidents involving children and disabled individuals, according to the ruling.
The NHTSA reported 210 fatalities and 15,000 annual injuries from back-over accidents and crashes, with 31 percent of fatalities belonging to children.
The final ruling states that back-up cameras, or “rearview video systems,” outperform sensors and mirror systems.
The NHTSA estimates a total of 58 to 69 lives will be saved each year when the ruling takes total effect.