I just installed a Garmin BC 40 back-up camera that pairs with our dash-mounted Garmin GPS. A very simple plug-n-play solution for our XK8s. The camera is powered by two AA lithium batteries and mounts above (or below) the rear license plate. It pairs wirelessly with the Garmin screen on the dash. Reverse view activates automatically at start up, and then reverts to map screen after car is moving forward. Also supports voice commands.

 

Or if you only want to spend $25 you can get a camera and clip on drivers mirror that does the same on ebay.

Wired Car Rear View Reversing Backup Camera and 4.3" Mirror Monitor Parking Kit | eBay

 

You get what you pay for…

 

Yes you get a view out the back of the car for $25

 

 

I just turn my head and get a direct visual. Caffeine fueled and wired interface to the HAL 9000

 

You need to be a T1000 to be able to see through the boot lid and rear bumper. The back up camera gives you a wide angled view of everything behind your car, including pets, small children and concrete posts - they are a very useful extra tool to have - even the $25 ones.

 

With all due respect, these cars are complicated enough already. Adding to the complexity with cameras may be viewed as prudent and reasonable, but not by me.

We just might as well agree to disagree.

I don’t even have any use for the back up warning sensors, but since Jaguar thought to include them, I keep them in good working order.

despite 60 years of driving on 4 continents I’ve managed to avoid backing over any people, animals, or inert objects. Only 30 more years of driving left to safely manage, somehow

 

Fair enough. Back up cameras became mandatory on new cars in 2008. Current statistics suggest a 17% reduction in backing accidents due to this technology. Personally, I find this feature very useful.

 

I work at Garmin (so I am likely biased), but I also have the BC40 set up and i removed my OEM GPS screen for a Garmin Drive. I've gotten used to having a backup camera and as the OP said, it works on batteries with no additional wiring. I can pop the original screen back in later if I want to.

 

Having just purchased a 2002 xkr Im wanting to convert the original GPS screen and add a back up camera. Could you enlighten me as to which Garmin unit you used so I can purchase it and the backup camera and go the same route as you? Thanks!

 

Yes and for $20 you can get a wired one on ebay that works perfectly displaying rear view in the mirror

 

Mine is the Garmin Drivesmart 55 which is a good match for the original screen size, being only slightly smaller. There are lots of threads on the forum on how to do the install, you can be very basic and just glue it on to the back of the veneer panel, or you can dismantle the original sat nav and replace the screen with the Garmin, keeping the buttons etc - that requires quite a bit more work though, but keeps the OEM look.

 

If you wish to replace the original factory GPS unit, a Garmin with the 5” screen is best. Most newer models are compatible with Garmin’s backup camera, but do check the specs. Since our XK8 has the 3-gauge cluster instead, I prefer the 7” version fixed to the dash above the glove box. Be aware Garmin’s BC 40 camera is not HD resolution, and does display a wide-angle view.

 

5" is too small and leaves noticeable borders either side of the display. The Garmin Drivesmart 55 has a 5.5" screen and is a much closer match to the original screen which was slightly bigger (IIRC 5.7"). The 5.5" looks practically OEM unless you look closely.

 

I prefer something that pairs with my phone. That way I can put a camera on all my early cars and only have to deal with one display. Kinda like using a GPS on my phone instead of a different one in every freakin car.

 

Can a backup cam be tapped into the display? I've wondered about this for my '08 XKR.

 

You can on the X100 for sure, but since yours is an X150, check with the folks on that forum

 

Thank you.

 

I know you posted this many months ago, but now that I’ve read it, I feel the need to share my thoughts on this…

With all due respect, no matter how experienced or careful we are, aging eventually affects depth perception and neck rotation — it’s just biology, not individual skill. Backup cameras don’t replace driving competence; they support it, the same way mirrors did when they were first introduced.

For drivers who want to stay independent longer, cameras are actually a way to extend safe driving years, not reduce them.
You must keep in mind, that tomorrow, your senses and body will not be what they currently are. Assuming you’re currently 60, in 5 years the degenerative changes will gradually accelerate to 1.3 times higher. In 10 years, you will be 1.6 times more likely to be in a low speed collision. In 15 years that risk rises to 2.2 times higher. In 20 years, that risk rises to 3.5 times higher. This is based on data from the NHTSA and IIHS.

When I was 27, an elderly woman hit me with her car at Costco’s tire service center while I was talking to one of the techs. She was trying to park in front of the service gate to request her tires to be filled up. That event injured the knee of the leg she hit. Now, at 32 the knee problems are worsening.

In my opinion, it is irresponsible to think that you can drive thirty more years without backup cameras. Or, for that matter drive for the next thirty years.As a matter of public safety and personal protection, by the time someone reaches their late 70s and 80s, most drivers benefit significantly from additional visibility aids like cameras and sensors — and many choose to transition away from driving once those changes become noticeable. By age 90, the act of driving poses too high a risk to personal and public safety, and is best delegated to a third party.