Everyone could probably use some top-line safety tech on the road—the glossy features that keep cars in their lane, out of blind spot trouble, and from smashing into a suddenly stopped truck up ahead.
But Dodge’s newest update rolls out the latest in safety to those whose job is, well, safety: cops.
The carmaker just announced its latest Charger Pursuit—one of the most popular vehicles for US law enforcement agencies—will come ready to spot (and foil) ambushes from the back, thanks to a rear-facing camera and radar system.
As a bonus, parent company Fiat Chrysler will provide the feature to law enforcement agencies free of charge. (You know, after they buy the car.)
This is a less a leap forward than a clever repurposing of Dodge’s existing technology. The “Officer Protection Package” uses the car’s rear park assist and backup camera features to warn police if there’s someone lurking behind them. If a human (or, perhaps, large dog) trips the system’s rear-facing sensor, a chime inside the car serves as a warning. The cops can then use the rear-facing camera display inside the car to see what’s up. Phew, looks like Lassie’s just heading home.
No, but seriously: Police officers secure in the knowledge of exactly what’s going on around them are police officers better equipped to make clear, non-panicked decisions. Now someone get to work building them actual eyes for the backs of their heads.
