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Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Front Camera: More Vision, More Safety

Antony Ingram

Contributing Writer BIO

Antony has what can only be described as an obsession for all things automotive. If it moves, he'll drive it, and even if it doesn't move, he'll sit... More

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2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

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There's something incredibly liberating about trucks like the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Maybe its the size, maybe the power, or the go-anywhere ability the SVT upgrades offer.

Vehicles as big as the Raptor can be intimidating too though, and not just to other road users. Thanks to the large hood and even larger pickup bed, visibility can be seriously reduced in the space immediately around the vehicle. As a result, Ford has now chosen to fit a front-mounted camera to the Raptor for better forward vision.

On one hand, the camera will make precise off-road work even easier as you'll have a better view of the ground immediately ahead, whether rock-crawling or cresting a steep incline. It could end up saving the driver quite a bit of money in situations where the front end is at risk from damage.

On the other, we think it also has safety benefits in regular road use.

Trucks like the F-Series are growing all the time. This is great for truck fans as size sells, but visibility can be quite poor at times. We already know about the safety benefits of rear-end cameras, which can help prevent child backover deaths from large, tall vehicles.

Front mounted cameras could offer the same. Ford's camera works below 15 mph so as well as helping spot a short pedestrian or child who might be just out of view beyond the grille, it will help drivers judge space in front of their truck when crawling in traffic or parking in a tighter spot.

Ford might be offering the camera to help its more adventurous customers, but it's always nice to get a safety benefit too.