General Interest

Classic Japanese Motorcycles

Reversing kits (Courtesy of AutoExpress)



The Test

No matter how good at parking you are, there's no denying a reversing aid is a useful addition to any car. That's why it's becoming one of the most coveted bit of kit on new models. But what if you run something a little more modest, and want to retro-fit one?

We looked at eight aftermarket reversing aids to see which gets our backing. All the systems had one, two, three or four sensors, which were mounted in or on the bumper. When reverse gear is selected, they emit and collect signals which detect nearby objects.

The system's ECU translates the signals into a display or pattern of beeps which become more rapid as an object nears. Most aids also gave a beep as reverse was engaged to confirm the set-up was operating. But remember, these devices can never replace a driver's common sense and vigilance.

DIYers will find routing the wiring the most time-consuming job, but stick-on sensors are easy to place. However, the in-bumper type are far more tricky, especially on four- detector units. We'd advise professional installation, unless you're very competent. The position of a towbar is also worth considering - you should mention this when buying. Weigh cost against your skill, as professional fitting is about £100 if it's not included in the price.

Each kit was set up acc-ording to the instructions, taking note of sensor height and angle recommendations - all were put around 500mm from the ground. We took time to adjust sensitivity where appropriate and then backed up to a series of objects - another car, a large gas cylinder, a bike on its side and a 510x 80mm steel driveway post. We looked for how accurately each obstacle was detected as well as quality, and logical installation and clear instructions.

THE TEST

Laver Ultra Park 2010-4

Rating: ***
Price: £233.83

Sensors/mounting: Four/in-bumper

This four-stage detection device had what was by far the largest ECU (140x11x35mm), which wasn't the end of the world, although the size might cause installation hassles in some smaller cars. Its sensors feature Laver's ultrasonic flat beam technology and warnings came through a small, microphone-sized speaker. The Ultra Park impressed with its results on the car, gas cylinder and guard post tests, being nearly inch-perfect on all three. It detected the bike beeping at the beginning of the test, but struggled after that. Good kit and results, but not so hot on price, especially as it's a DIY installation.

Quanan Q2030S

Rating: ****
Price: £125

Sensors/mounting: Three/in-bumper

This was a development of the last test winner, but with in-bumper sensors rather than stick-on ones. The unit was tested with the three detectors provided, but it would work with two if a tow bar was in the way. We liked the small display panel which showed distance to the object, which sensor was being used and housed the beeper. Although the car, cylinder and post results were good, it struggled to trace the bike at 50cm. It performed similarly to the Ultra Park (left), but its price helped it become our Recomm-ended choice.

JMC Drive Hassle Free

Rating: **
Price: £99

Sensors/mounting: Two/stick-on

This was an unusual hybrid, combining a hands-free phone kit with the reversing aid functions. We liked the large, clip-over interior mirror, which included the controls for both features as well as a red LCD display. This counted down in metres and showed a flashing LED to indicate which of the two sensors was doing the detecting. The system worked well with the car and gas cylinder, but found the cycle harder going. On the guard post, the JMC detected up to half a metre away, then lost it. It was also the only set-up affected by objects alongside the car.

Backscan BS-200CT

Rating: *****
Price: £72.79

Sensors/mounting: Two/stick-on

The Backscan came with a compact ECU and stick-on sensors, which looked identical to the ones on the JMC (left), although they managed to resist false alarms to the sides. As with many, there were three warning sounds, starting at a slow one beep per second and ending with a continuous tone. The performance on the car and cylinder was good, while on the post it was perfect. However, the bike caused problems and was only picked up between 1.2m and 70cm from the bumper, then lost as the sensors got closer. The kit was easy to fit, worked well and great value. Our Best Buy.

X Vision XVB-4

Rating: ***
Price: £109.95

Sensors/mounting: Four/in-bumper

Featuring quite a chunky ECU and four conventional in-bumper sensors, the XVB-4 was a focused piece of equipment, as it picked up no objects at the side of the vehicle. On the cycle test, it barely registered until it was 30cm away, while it didn't detect the post until half a metre away. However, the car and gas cylinder test results were impressive, repeatedly working at 1.1m, 60cm and 30cm for its single, double and continuous beeping modes. Its performance and very competitive price - it's the cheapest four-sensor unit - lifted its overall standing.

Meta Targa SR2

Rating: ****
Price: £199 (inc. installation)

Sensors/mounting: Two/bracket

The SR2 is an update of Meta's earlier Targa, and has a further development of its 'stealth' sensor. A plastic bracket was supplied that fitted to the car in place of the number plate (oblong ones only), which then slotted back into the housing. Sensors were clipped in at either end, with the wiring run neatly up out of sight. This ensured it was the tidiest installation here, being nearly undetectable. Results for the tests were mostly spot-on, although it struggled a little with the cycle as the car got nearer. The price was high, but it did include UK-wide installation.

Autosonics A7 Back 212

Rating: ***
Price: £119.99

Sensors/mounting: Two/in-bumper

Although it looked quite ordinary, the Autosonics unit had unique sensors, which offered horizontal and vertical movement within the housings, much like eyeball vents on a dashboard. These obviously required some patience setting up, but it was worth it. We were impressed with the performance, especially as it was only a two-sensor device. On the car and gas cylinder it worked well, and it was particularly good at detecting the guard post, keeping it 'in sight' all the way. As with most others, it spotted the cycle early on, but lost it as the bike went below the signal's path. A good price for a decent performance.

Autowatch APG023

Rating: **
Price: £99.95

Sensors/mounting: One/stick-on

This was the most unusual device here, as the single sensor looked like a side rubbing strip, which was self-adhesive. It was stuck across the rear bumper, and also included an aluminium antenna which connected to the ECU in the car. We thought that the soldering of the wire was rather exposed and likely to become damaged. This type of device only beeps when your vehicle is moving (unlike all the others) and always gave a small beep as the car moved back, regardless of the position of the object.
The results for the car, gas cylinder and guard post were rather hit and miss although, ironically, the Autowatch produced the best cycle test.