Plead for Skoda to offer reverse camera (RVC)

[pologti18t]

Because Victoria has made ESP compulsory, this made all manufacturer, except Chery, to include ESP as standard without extra costs. Otherwise, they would continue to charge a premium on that, or omit it competely in their base model just to make the price looks good.

Of course the user pays for it in the end. Nothing is for free.

[K1W1]

Because of this simple reason, when we are looking for a car for my wife, Skoda is eliminated out right! She drives kids all the time. She drops them off and pick them up in school, no RVC is a disaster waiting to happen.

I'm sorry but I will take issue with that.
The lack of a reversing camera is NOT a disaster waiting to happen. Whilst you might consider it desirable and maybe you or your wifes driving and spacial awareness skills are doubtful the world will continue to revolve each day without vehicles being fitted with rear cameras and many, many people will drive perfectly safely in the same sort of environments you do without any issues what so ever.

[VAG newbie]

I'm sorry but I will take issue with that.
The lack of a reversing camera is NOT a disaster waiting to happen. Whilst you might consider it desirable and maybe you or your wifes driving and spacial awareness skills are doubtful the world will continue to revolve each day without vehicles being fitted with rear cameras and many, many people will drive perfectly safely in the same sort of environments you do without any issues what so ever.

That's what most people think. "I'll just be careful." "Those who run over their kids are idiots, not me!" "It will never happen to me!" Well, wait until you lose someone you love. In our case, it was our dog, whom we had for 14 years since puppy. He was sleeping at the corner of the drive way, and I can tell you, my wife backed out as slow as possible, but you just can't see a dog lying on the ground behind a wagon because it was so low! So low that even the parking sensor didn't pick up. My wife ran over his back, crushed his spine and made him paraplegic. We had no choice but to put him down. If you had a look at his innocent eye, it was an image that haunted us for a very long time.

Yes, you can say my wife is stupid. How can she lock a baby inside the car? How can she ran over our dog? I can tell you, some people are naturally clumsy! Also we as human beings, we make mistakes. We get tired, we rush sometimes, we get distracted...... those are the times that we make mistakes. It's simple human psychology.

I am an anesthetist and my work will not allow me to make any mistake. Life and death! But we work ridiculous long hours sometimes. Fatigue impair our judgement. So there are many safety measures built into the modern anesthetic machine and monitors to minimize the chance of us making a mistake. These devices are not to replace us (otherwise we'd be out of job!) but it reminds us and warns us when things are going wrong. All these things have been added to make sure next time you have an operation, you will be safe. I have a special interest in this area, and I have implemented many protocols in my hospitals to improve the safety of our patients. My goal is zero mistakes!

Unfortunately, the motoring industry is very far behind on this. Statistically, the chances of us die in a car accident is 10x higher than die in an operation. Why? Because the general public, ie, the drivers, think they don't need all the safety features, these are for retards who can't drive. It's this kind of attitude that is allowing car manufacturers to cut corners. It's the reason why people are actually buying Great Walls and Cherys!

Anyway, even if you take all the precaution you can, unfortunately there will be other clumsy driver that won't take the same precaution, and it could be your loved one that's under his/her wheel next time.

I'm not saying RVC will prevent all accident, but at least it is a step forward in making cars safer. Yes, the buyer may have to pay for it, but if it is legislation and all cars need to fit it, there will be so much competition that car manufacturer would just have to absorb the cost!

I'll also add the fact that females are less developed in the right side of the brain, which is responsible for spatial relations, numbers, sequences....etc, than males. But they are better developed in their left side, which is for speech, language, literacy, comprehension ....etc. This is a scientific fact and it explains why girls tend to talk earlier than boys, and they usually excel in humanity subjects, but tend to do less well in math and science. This also explains why females tend to scratch their cars while parking a lot more often than males, but males tend to write off their cars a lot more than females. I'm not being sexist here (my wife hated every time I try to explain the difference between male and female!), I'm just saying we are made different. (In fact, I prefer to have my wife scratch the car rather than write off the car and jeopardize her life and my boy's lives. This males female superior to male!) RVC and parking sensors, while we boys don't think they are necessary, to many women, they are essential! Just like a pair of glasses, for those with good eye sight will never understand why someone can't live without their glasses.

The majority of drivers picking up their kids at schools are mothers. Already they have a more limited capacity in judging distances (again I'll stress, this doesn't apply to all females, some are born good at judging distances, and this doesn't make female inferior to male) they are usually exhausted (2-3pm is the time that our brain functions at the lowest capacity), they have screaming kids at the back seat to distract the mother, and she might be rushing home to prepare for dinner..... All these added up, is a recipe for disaster. As more and more mothers are driving SUVs to pick up their kids, I think a RVC will definitely help.

Sorry for the long post. I had to be careful what I say in case some female friends in this forum get offended. If anyone finds it offensive, please accept my apology as it was not my intention. I was just trying to explain the reason why my wife finds RVC essential based on scientific fact and personal experiences.

[woofy]

It all makes sense, the bit I prefer to do, is not have animals or kids out in the first place at home. There shouldn't be much need for them to reverse in public and in driveways I refuse to move a car unless the kids are locked behind a gate or inside. No amount of sensors or RVC will help you in time if a kid runs out behind the car. Cars are all lower at the front and higher at the back these days so it is more of an issue. Having said that, if you are reversing you should be looking behind you and not at a screen in front of you.

I'm seeing more and more complacency on inbuilt devices and less about actual personal responsibility, any given day people seem to be driving worse, parking even more badly...and in general don't give a crap about anyone else. I have two big scratches on my not even 1 year old car that the people responsible for didn't own up to, and I'm not surprised....noone cares anymore.

[BlackSuperb]

Reversing cameras are a good idea and should be an option available from the manufacturer.

Sadly, Skoda don't think so even though their parent company provide them as standard issue on all new Passats.

Of course you don't look at them whilst reversing. Use them to ensure a clear path before you reverse then turn and look behind and guide your vehicle.

[DkN]

I don't even know where this topic is headed now, but as for RVC, though not available factory there are many aftermarket options that are MUCH cheaper than what you paid for. Also dealers are sometimes (some would suggest often) incompetent and will feed you crap to cover for it. You have an RNS-510, therefore reverse camera will work if installed and coded properly. The head unit does not blow the camera up, incorrect wiring does.

Check the VW audio section in this forum, there is a group buy for an RVC low unit for about $120 shipped which replaces the boot handle. May need some modification to fit physically for a Skoda, I'm not sure, but it's just one example of your options, if you just did some research before believing everything the dealer says.

As for making RVC compulsory, dear God I hope not. Just another reason for the dealer to charge for another overpriced option. I'm fairly certain RVC is usually close to $1,000 from the factory. I'd understand if it was compulsory to offer it as an option, that's as far as I would go. Certainly not agreeing to being forced into being ripped off when I know my other options.

[VAG newbie]

I don't even know where this topic is headed now, but as for RVC, though not available factory there are many aftermarket options that are MUCH cheaper than what you paid for. Also dealers are sometimes (some would suggest often) incompetent and will feed you crap to cover for it. You have an RNS-510, therefore reverse camera will work if installed and coded properly. The head unit does not blow the camera up, incorrect wiring does.

I believe you, it makes sense. However, there don't seem to be any Skoda owner in this forum who has fitted a RVC that works like a factory fitted one. In fact I had fellow Superb owner in this forum telling me these Kufatec RVCs are expensive and may not intergrate well with the OPS.

Check the VW audio section in this forum, there is a group buy for an RVC low unit for about $120 shipped which replaces the boot handle. May need some modification to fit physically for a Skoda, I'm not sure, but it's just one example of your options, if you just did some research before believing everything the dealer says.

I don't believe everything they said, of course. I had to educate a salesman once, so their knowledge is ignorant at the best. I'm only going back to them because they fitted for me and I expect them to tweak it so it works. I have posted up on the techncal sections of this forum asking for help in Brisbane. I notice that you are in Brisbane as well, can you help me?

Also if any Skoda owner in this forum that has successifully installed a retrofit RVC onto their RCD/RNS510, that works just like a factory one, i.e. RVC screen will show up every time you put on reverse, ad it has the OPS radar screen on the left side of the screen, please speak up. Your experience is priceless.

As for making RVC compulsory, dear God I hope not. Just another reason for the dealer to charge for another overpriced option. I'm fairly certain RVC is usually close to $1,000 from the factory. I'd understand if it was compulsory to offer it as an option, that's as far as I would go. Certainly not agreeing to being forced into being ripped off when I know my other options.

VW can fit RVC and GPS for without raising the price, I don't see why Skoda can't. Almost all Superb's competitors have RVC as standard, and many of them have gone further to include other useless stuff such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control with automatic emergency braking, either as an option or comes standard. If Skoda would be stupid enough to charge a premium for RVC when it is mandatory, they will just lose potential buyers. Already the Superb is no longer that good value for money as it is now, especially compared to Passat, it's suicide if they charge the buyer for RVC.

[BlackSuperb]

.....Also if any Skoda owner in this forum that has successifully installed a retrofit RVC onto their RCD/RNS510, that works just like a factory one, i.e. RVC screen will show up every time you put on reverse, ad it has the OPS radar screen on the left side of the screen, please speak up. Your experience is priceless. ....

Well, funny you should mention that. I had installed a Kufatec RVC camera to my MY09 Superb. It integrated into the the Columbus Nav, but not entirely seamlessly.

It would come on when ever I put it into reverse, but the whole picture came up on the screen without the OPS display as is on the Passat and Tiguan. It also didn't have the guidance lines that predict the position the car as you turn the wheel.

Now that may be a good thing because it keeps you looking out the back window instead of the nav screen.

I did have the audible beeps though that the OPS system puts out.

I have the unit now removed from my MY09 Superb as I gave the car back recently and am contemplating selling it. It's sitting on my desk at the moment and I just have to get around to soldering some wires back that I had to cut to get it out and it should work. If you are interested, send me a PM.

[VAG newbie]

Well, funny you should mention that. I had installed a Kufatec RVC camera to my MY09 Superb. It integrated into the the Columbus Nav, but not entirely seamlessly.

It would come on when ever I put it into reverse, but the whole picture came up on the screen without the OPS display as is on the Passat and Tiguan. It also didn't have the guidance lines that predict the position the car as you turn the wheel.

Now that may be a good thing because it keeps you looking out the back window instead of the nav screen.

I did have the audible beeps though that the OPS system puts out.

I have the unit now removed from my MY09 Superb as I gave the car back recently and am contemplating selling it. It's sitting on my desk at the moment and I just have to get around to soldering some wires back that I had to cut to get it out and it should work. If you are interested, send me a PM.

Yeah, that's the same as mine. Mine is worse in that you have to manually switch it, although it does give me the option of using OPS or RVC, but not both at the same time.

The guidelines is apparently something separate. Apparently you need another module to connect to the steering wheel. For me, that's not essential, although my wife finds it very useful as she can't tell from what's lefo or right when looking through the camera.

I've got someone who is willing to help me this Fri and I will see if it works on Skodas.

[BlackSuperb]

Shouldn't have to manually switch it. I'm sure I have the info at home that you can wire it so it starts up when in reverse. Do you have a manual or automatic? I won't be home until late next week though. In China on business at the moment. Certainly plenty of Skodas here in Shanghai.

[tonymy01]

Most of the online guides for how to code the rvc do NOT take into consideration if the person has ops. If you have ops, there is two bits to enable, the navigation/radio bit (which all the online guides have), and the ops bit in the body control module or central electrics module (have detailed the exact bit before, am on phone here replying so difficult to search, is easy to find bit anyway once vcds is hooked up and you poke around a bit).

[dArK5HaD0w]

u can have rvc + ops on screen with the skodas, not as a factory fit, but it has been done.
have a look at the following youtube video. its a Columbus in a Skoda Octavia 2 L&K (MY2010).

i can't confirm if the above has the vw popup camera or license plate light camera.

here is one inside the rear badge. unfortunately i don't have anymore details.

some reading material over at briskoda.
its for an octavia, but the superb will b the same.

[VAG newbie]

u can have rvc + ops on screen with the skodas, not as a factory fit, but it has been done.
have a look at the following youtube video. its a Columbus in a Skoda Octavia 2 L&K (MY2010).

i can't confirm if the above has the vw popup camera or license plate light camera.

here is one inside the rear badge. unfortunately i don't have anymore details.

some reading material over at briskoda.
its for an octavia, but the superb will b the same.

Yeah, I've seen that video too. In fact, this video started my quest for a better RVC in Skoda. Initially I thought all you need is just buy a genuine VW RVC and wire into the Skoda Columbus. Again I was told by dealer it can't be done, different module or some bull**** like that. He basically said the only way is to take out the Columbus and install a VW RNS510, which is a very expensive exercise.

I would love to have the same system as shown in the video. I can tell you, if someone can install that for us, my wife definitely will put Skoda back on our shopping list, it will be among the top of the list! Anyway, I'll find out Friday.

[VAG newbie]

Shouldn't have to manually switch it. I'm sure I have the info at home that you can wire it so it starts up when in reverse. Do you have a manual or automatic? I won't be home until late next week though. In China on business at the moment. Certainly plenty of Skodas here in Shanghai.

Should be a good chance to pick up some cheap, but genuine Skoda accessory there

BTW, I don't think mine is wiring problem. The RVC switch only come up on the OPS screen, ie. in reverse. So it must be a software issue. I'm starting to believe my problem is RVC needs to be enabled by using the VCDS. What I'm afraid is that after enabling, I'm gonna end up the same as you, just RVC and no OPS.

It's just such an annoyance because Skoda would not offer it even as an option. It's no rocket science and it doesn't cost a lot of money. That's why I said it must be a conspiracy by VW! If we make it a legislation, then VW has to green light Skoda to install RVC in their cars, otherwise it'll be sayonara to Skoda in Australia!

[woofy]

To be honest the Superb is due for a refresh of sorts, it wouldn't be unusual for them to just include this standard suddenly, ala the Columbus coming stock in all Octavias 118 and above.