AI-generated image: rear bumper of a weathered silver hatchback in a snowy apartment-block car park at dusk, a small black reversing camera above a blank lit number plate, red tail light on the left, parked cars, apartment buildings and street lights in the background
An illustration of a retrofitted reversing camera on an older car, not a real photo: the salt- and slush-covered rear of a silver hatchback in a snowy Finnish apartment-block car park at dusk, with a small black camera above the lit number plate. (AI-generated illustration.)

Reversing camera for an old car – what a 50-euro retrofit really takes

About 3 min read

Discovery

Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat had a roughly 50-euro reversing camera from the retailer Motonet fitted to a 25-year-old Toyota, and the story climbed into the most-read lists on Monday. No surprise: new cars must now have a reversing camera or sensors, but Finland’s car fleet is old. So what does a reversing camera for an old car really take?

Key facts

  • EU: reversing detection (camera or sensors) has been required on new car types since July 2022 and on all new cars since 7 July 2024
  • USA: a rearview image has been required on all new vehicles under 10,000 lb since 1 May 2018
  • The cheapest retrofit kits cost a few tens of euros
  • Automatic activation usually means wiring into the reversing-light circuit

Three ways to retrofit a reversing camera

  • Wired kit with its own screen. Motonet’s C-Bright kit, for example, has a 4.3-inch screen, a 110-degree camera and a six-metre RCA cable. The picture is stable, but the cable has to run the length of the car.
  • Wireless camera. Easier to fit, since the camera only needs power at the rear. The downside is that the picture can drop out or lag with interference.
  • Camera as part of a smart screen. A dashboard CarPlay or Android Auto screen can bring a reversing camera to an old car at the same time.

Installing a reversing camera: the surprise

The camera is usually powered from the reversing light, so it only wakes up when you select reverse. Installation instructions can be sparse on this point, and it is exactly where many home installers get stuck. If car electrics are new to you, paying for installation costs more than the camera but saves your nerves.

Finnish winter is the real test for a cheap camera

  • Check the housing’s IP rating: road-salt slush and car washes are tougher than summer rain.
  • Keep the lens clean. A camera above the number plate gets dirty fast in winter.
  • Mount the screen so it does not block your view or come loose in a crash.
  • Don’t rely on the picture alone. A camera does not replace mirrors or looking over your shoulder.

The Hilavitkutin verdict

A 50-euro reversing camera is one of the most sensible ways to give an old car a bit of modern comfort, as long as you set aside time for the wiring and remember to wipe the lens in winter. It won’t turn an Avensis into a Tesla, but reversing in a busy supermarket car park gets easier.

Read also

Hilavitkutin has not tested these products itself; the test details come from Ilta-Sanomat.

Sources

  1. Ilta-Sanomat (2.11.2026): Vanhaan Toyotaan asennettiin Motonetin halpa peruutuskamera (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  2. Ilta-Sanomat (15.10.2026): Vanhaan Toyotaan asennettiin 40 minuutissa nykyautojen varuste – puolessa välissä ikävä yllätys (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  3. European Road Safety Charter / European Commission: Mandatory drivers assistance systems (GSR2) (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  4. European Commission IP/22/4312: New rules to improve road safety (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  5. US DOT / NHTSA: Final rule requiring rear visibility technology (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  6. Motonet: C-Bright peruutuskamerajärjestelmä (tuotesivu) (accessed 2 Nov 2026)
  7. Motonet: AutoSky 7″ Smart Screen Pro + peruutuskamera (tuotesivu) (accessed 2 Nov 2026)