Backup cameras now required in new cars in the U.S.

Nathan Bomey | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption New vehicles outfitted with self-driving tech Automakers are adding advanced electronic safety features as they take one more step toward a world of self-driving cars. (March 27)

New cars sold in the U.S. must have backup cameras to help drivers avoid accidents under a federal regulation that took effect Wednesday.

The regulation requires rearview cameras and video displays on new models, a move aimed at preventing accidents in which pedestrians — often children — are run over because a driver can't see them as they back their vehicles.

Congress passed a law in 2008 requiring regulators to enact measures requiring the adoption of technology to greatly improve rearview visibility.

After years of delays, the Department of Transportation announced the camera requirement in 2014, giving automakers several years to prepare.

Many higher-end models and mainstream vehicles with extra safety packages already have rearview cameras. But the technology will now be standard in even the cheapest of new cars.

"The regulation is a monumental advancement of safety for children, pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users," Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said in a statement.

Backover crashes kill more than 200 people annually and injure more than 12,000.

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