New from Rostra Precision Controls is their RearSight line of back-up cameras.  In the past, you had to deal with complicated wiring and the challenge of finding a place to mount the bulky monitor for your back-up camera.  Rostra has solved this with their integrated rear view mirror by building the color monitor right into your rear view mirror. Rostra offers both 2.5” and a 3.5” models.

We installed their 2.5” unit in a 2006 Pontiac Solstice roadster, and I don’t think we could have picked a more difficult vehicle to do this install in because of the extremely tight spaces on this two-seater. However, Rostra has made installation extremely easy with their kits, and we had the entire camera system installed in under four hours.

The Rear Sight mirror looks just like the factory model until you put the car into reverse, which activates the rear mounted micro camera and the 2.5” color monitor embedded in the mirror. GM’s new roadsters are wonderful cars, but with the big buttresses on the trunk and small ragtop window, the rear view is less than desirable.  However, thanks to Rostra, I now have 180 degrees of visibility.

The current RearSight mirror is perfect for most vehicles on the road today, but many cars in are adding additional buttons and instrumentation to the mirrors, and for these vehicles, you need to be careful about what you might lose if you replace the mirror.  Many vehicles put compasses in the mirrors, some GM vehicles use mirror to control OnStar features, and some BMWs put garage remote control buttons on the mirror.  For these vehicles, the Rostra solution is not a perfect fit.