How Does a 360 Degree Camera Work?
A 360-degree camera system doesn't work with just one camera. Instead, several video cameras are strategically placed around the vehicle, typically on each bumper (within an emblem, in the grille, or near the trunk release), and on either side (underneath the side mirrors, near the corners of the bumpers). When you shift into reverse, or in some vehicles, press a button, the camera array activates. Software interprets the view coming from each camera and stitches them together in one single image on your infotainment screen. So as to avoid distraction, the cameras turn off once the vehicle is moving at traffic speeds.
Some vehicles can display the view from only one of those cameras. For example, the passenger-side camera can show a closer view of the wheels to avoid scraping on a curb. Or, the front camera can show what's ahead of the hood, like a parking block or off-road obstacles.
Newer 360-degree camera systems take things further. Instead of only providing a top-down or single-side view of the car, they can be adjusted to show different angles of the exterior. It's as if there's a camera on a drone, hovering outside your car, switching to the angle you select. Unfortunately, how this tech works isn't as cool as using flying robots. They simply have more advanced software that combines the views from different cameras into adjustable perspectives, with your vehicle illustrated in the middle.
