Cars that do not have aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems installed pose a grave risk to the driver. The prime reason is their blind spots. Due to the physical pillars of a vehicle, some spots on the road become invisible to the driver. Monitoring these spots is not possible without an additional aftermarket blind spot detection system if your car hasn’t any.
As to the importance of these systems, most companies provide built-in blind spot systems in their cars. However, if your vehicle has no blind spot system, there is a fairly suitable market where custom blind spot monitors are present. Aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems have a wide range to choose from. All car drivers can choose the compatible blind spot system for their cars, but first, they must know what these systems are and how they work.
What Is An Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring System?
A blind spot system is a set of modules working together to monitor the blind area of a vehicle actively. A single blind spot system can monitor a single or more than one blind area. However, the alarming procedure is almost the same for every system.
The basic role of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems is to detect any moving object in the titled area. Also, the system warns the driver about that oncoming object that saves the vehicle from accidental damage.
Components Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitor Systems:
Nowadays, most cars have a factory-installed blind spot system inside them. However, some old models lack this kit. For those cars, an aftermarket blind spot system is the only option. Some start-up firms make customized aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems that offer aftermarket blind spot assistance.
These systems can have various parts and components reliant on the roles and firm. Being a driver, the ideal blind spot monitor kit will include the following parts.
- Millimeter wave radar/ blind spot sensors
- A buzzer
- At least a pair of indicator lights
- Bracket for radar installation
- Power line harness
- Indicator and buzzer wire harnesses
- Double-sided stickers for lights
A typical blind spot must have at least these prescribed parts. Likewise, some aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems include bonus gears such as control boxes and camera screens. These bring extra features with themselves that help the blind spot system to work better.
The control box can help adjust the buzzer’s volume and the lights’ glare. However, the camera screens give a live and direct feed for watching.
Working Principle Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems:
The basic working principle of every millimeter wave radar blind spot system is the same. The primary operating mechanism of a blind spot system includes two steps. The complete explanation of these is as follows.
Detection Of The Target Object:
The prime and most essential step of the mechanism is object detection. Usually, the aftermarket blind spot sensor carries out this step. However, some of the systems also include an antenna that improves the detection range and precision. The blind spot sensors of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems can be of various types with different frequency bands.
- 24 GHz
- 58 GHz
- 77GHz to 79GHz
The radars regularly emit microwaves that waver inside the detection area. Whenever a target enters the labeled area, it hinders the wave pattern, and the system detects it. Plus, some systems can detect the speed and distance of the oncoming target from the vehicle. It gives the driver enough time to act accordingly.
Alarming The Driver:
Once the system detects a target object, it directly alerts the driver about it. Now the alarming sub-system can carry out this process in many ways. Some of the systems only flash indicator lights on the separate side. Whereas some aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems have a buzzer that starts giving a sound.
Some car blind spot systems have a unique feature of turning the buzzer on only when the driver is using a turn signal. In that case, the buzzer sound indicates that the target object poses a serious threat to the vehicle, and the driver must be more cautious.
The brightness of the light, sequence of blinking, and buzzer volume are adjustable in some of the aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems with a control box. As for the placement of the lights and buzzer, it totally depends on the driver’s choice. Some drivers like their buzzer to be on the dashboard, while some find it better to the side. The same goes for the indicator lights. You can use a double-sided sticker to adhere the lights wherever you find them suitable.
Features Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems:
Features of the blind spot system can vary with the type of the system. Some blind spot systems have more features than the other ones. Whereas some of them are the least BSD equipped. Aftermarket blind spot detection systems can have some of the following features.
Lane Changing Assist:
Often termed LCA, this feature helps the driver to change lanes during a road trip on the highway safely. Due to the blind spots, side mirrors are insufficient to check side lanes. Therefore one must have a blind spot system to observe the adjacent lanes before shifting position entirely.
The use of the aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems becomes vital in longer vehicles with a bigger number of blind spots. Plus, it greatly assists the driver by pulling off that heavy weight of concern from the driver’s shoulders. In most vehicles, it is active only after a certain speed limit, such as 15 miles per hour.
Rear View Blind Spot Detection:
It is a basic yet essential system feature that saves the vehicle from rear collisions. Usually, this system comes in handy for parking a vehicle. Moreover, it can prevent rear collisions on the highway by detecting rapidly approaching vehicles from the rear side.
Rearview BSD is available only to those aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems with microwave radar designated for the back of the car. Unlike LCA in this feature, the system starts detecting the objects once the vehicle powers up. Therefore, while backing up, if there is any object in the way of your vehicle, the system will start alerting you about it.
Early Warning Strategy Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems:
With the help of this function, the system can detect the object and alarm the driver faster. Car blind spot systems usually have two early warning modes. Both of these modes have different speed limits and detection areas.
The aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems start detecting the objects early, and this, in turn, triggers the alarm mechanism early. Alerting the drivers early gives them enough time to respond to the situation and saves them from any possible collision. Through this feature, the unwanted collision rate is much more reduced.
Is An Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring System A Vital Necessity For All Drivers?
The blind spot system hasn’t been around for much time. However, from the moment they entered the automobile industry, they changed the typical driving stereotypes. Being a piece of assistance equipment, these systems actively detect the harmful approaching object and alert the driver about them.
A driver can’t monitor every inch of the road. First of all, it’s a lot of effort. Secondly, the car design and structure limit the driver’s sight. While driving, the owner is sitting inside a vehicle structure that is not transparent. These complex designed forms of the vehicle make several areas unseen to the driver’s eyes. That is where the blind spot system jumps in to solve the problem.
Using special aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems is unnecessary if your vehicle has a factory-installed blind spot system. However, these systems become obligatory if your vehicle has no blind spot monitor at all. Long story short, every driver that does not have a blind spot system has a dire need to get an aftermarket one.
What Factors Determine The Worth Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitor Systems?
Now that we know the importance and need of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems, it is better to choose the one that serves the purpose. When it comes to the blind spot system, you can’t just pick any of the options from the hundreds. You must consider numerous factors and base your choice on those elements.
A blind spot system directly impacts your life and vehicle’s safety. Therefore, you must choose the one that befits you. Before judging whether the blind spot system is worth the money, you must go through these factors that affect its worth.
Detection Range:
It is the most important factor of a blind spot system that determines whether it is suitable for you or not. We know that the frequency band of the millimeter wave radar systems varies. Due to that variation, the detection range also changes. Plus, the number of radars also changes the detection area.
The quality of radar and the objects blocking its path also alter the system’s detection range. Most radars work only with plastic bumpers because the metal blockage reduces their functional alarm area.
To mark aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems as value-to-money, they must have the desired detection range. Moreover, the longer vehicles require a bigger detection area. The ideal blind spot monitor has a detection range from 35m to 50m on the rear side and 10m to 15m on the lateral sides.
Detection Accuracy:
Detection accuracy refers to the accurate detection of a target object. The blind spot systems can have different accuracy. The more precise the detection of an object is, the better the driver can act to prevent its collision. An ideal blind spot system has a detection accuracy of up to 0.1 to 0.3 meters.
Additional Features:
Some blind spot systems have extra features that are special pros. These include speed measurement and distance calculation of the target objects. These extra things add a huge value to the worth of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems.
Is The Evolving Technology Decreasing The Need For Aftermarket Blind Spot Assistance?
No matter how good the driving ability of a driver gets, complete monitoring of the road is never possible. To minimize all the errors, aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems have the only package that helps. Other than that, some blind spot side view mirrors solve the problem to some extent, but they won’t ever be as good as the complete system.
Technology is evolving day by day in the modern world. Blind spot monitors have been in the blind spot warning system aftermarket for the past few years, but they still evolve with every passing year. Every year the firms introduce a new feature that increases the need for blind spot assistance even more.
Car manufacturers are using better and better technological products in car designs. However, any of these can never replace aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems. Therefore, instead of replacing the thing with something better, the firms started putting blind spot monitoring systems inside the vehicles.
Nowadays, most cars come up with a blind spot system that minimizes the need to buy a new one. However, if there is any damage to the factory-installed system, its repair is too expensive. In this condition, the aftermarket blind spot monitoring system again becomes the only choice.
OEM And Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems | Which One Is Better?
In the world of blind spot systems, there are two top variants. A car can either have an OEM blind spot system or an aftermarket blind spot system.
OEM Blind Spot Monitoring Systems:
Originally manufactured blind spot systems have original factory-designed components. These aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems are essentially much more credible and durable. Moreover, the price of these systems is much more than the aftermarket blind spot systems.
These systems are not readily available in the market. There is only a single service provider that supplies these systems. Most of the time, these systems come in modern vehicles. For that reason, drivers refer to them as factory-installed blind spot systems.
A major drawback to these systems is their repair cost. OEM blind spot monitors are not only expensive, but also they take a huge amount of cash in maintenance and repairs. The repair cost of an OEM blind spot system is far greater than the aftermarket blind spot system.
Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems:
These aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems are not originally manufactured products. Rather these designs mostly come from start-up companies in the local market. These systems are custom-made and designed to be compatible with most cars. Aftermarket firms try their best to make their system as universal as possible. Therefore, most of these systems are compatible with every model of 2005 and later. However, some systems perform exceptionally well with models older than 2005.
As for the price, they are much more inexpensive than the OEM blind spot systems. Plus, these systems are easy and inexpensive to repair. Aftermarket blind spot monitor installation is also not as complicated as OEM systems. Therefore, there is no need for paid installation. Even a simple driver with minimum product knowledge can install it.
What Is The Cost Of Aftermarket Blind Spot Monitoring Systems?
The cost of a blind spot system can vary with its type. Blind spot monitoring system aftermarket offers various options to choose from. Mostly these systems are far less expensive than OEM blind spot systems. Therefore most people go with these systems to save money.
However, blind spots in trucks and longer vehicles have a higher cost. It is not a better idea to save some pennies on the price of your life. Therefore, try to buy the one that completes your sufficient needs.
An ideal car blind spot system can range from $300 to $750. However, the truck blind spot system can range from $500 to $2500. Moreover, complex systems require special installation aid that requires extra cost. The cost of installation of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems can be from $200 to $300.
Conclusion:
Blind spot monitoring systems are must-have equipment, especially for longer vehicles. Considering the fact that blind spots limit your driving capability, blind spot monitors have become obligatory for every driver on the road. After noticing this extreme importance, some firms started providing built-in factory-installed systems inside their cars that somewhat solve the problem.
However, some cars on the road are still not equipped with aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems. These car drivers pose a threat to their and others’ lives. Therefore, there must be a custom-made blind spot system to solve the problem. Fortunately, the aftermarket blind spot system is just the solution. Drivers can choose the best and most compatible system for their car from a wide variety of products just in minutes.
OYI Electronic is a professional manufacturer of aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems, which has been serving different customers all over the world and has been well received by them. If you have any questions, please contact us.
FAQs
- Are aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems worth it?
- How does an aftermarket blind spot monitoring system work?
- What are the components of an aftermarket blind spot monitoring system?
- What features do aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems have?
- Do longer vehicles require a different blind spot monitoring system?
- How much does an aftermarket blind spot monitoring system cost?