Brand That Believes Rear Windows Are Unnecessary Now Facing Problems with Reversing Cameras | Carscoops

      Polestar has initiated a recall for 27,816 units of its Polestar 2 electric vehicle due to an issue with the reversing cameras.

      Several customers reported receiving a “camera temporarily unavailable” notification on their screens.

      While the Polestar 2 features a glass rear window, its counterpart, the Polestar 4 crossover, does not.

      The Polestar 4 boasts many appealing attributes, such as its contemporary coupe-SUV design, high-quality interior, and ample equipment. However, one significant takeaway from its launch is that it lacks a rear window, as Polestar believes a camera can perform better in that capacity.

      Unfortunately, this has led the Geely-owned manufacturer to issue a second recall concerning malfunctioning backup cameras, emphasizing why most vehicles have included a rear window for over a century and why it may be wise to maintain this feature.

      It’s worth noting that this recall pertains to the Polestar 2, which includes a rear window, and was recently taken off the market in the U.S. due to tariffs imposed during President Trump’s administration. Given the prevalence of camera issues across numerous brands (including Ford, Hyundai, Kia, JLR, and several Stellantis brands), it wouldn’t be surprising if the Polestar 4 encounters similar issues in the future. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, should that occur, the driver would not have a backup window.

      In this instance, Polestar is recalling 27,816 units of the Polestar 2 EV to update the software, which cannot be performed over-the-air. This recall affects the 2021-2025 model year vehicles following reports from some owners about their cameras being completely nonfunctional. Instead of displaying the view behind when in reverse, the screen showed a message indicating that the “camera is temporarily unavailable.”

      The manufacturer attributes the problem to a synchronization error between the Parking Assist Camera and the infotainment system. This may sound familiar since Polestar previously issued a similar recall in June 2024 for nearly 26,000 units of the Polestar 2 EV. In that instance, the fix was intended to be an over-the-air update, which turned out to be inadequate.

      Additionally, the forthcoming Polestar 5 EV is also designed without a rear window, as is Jaguar's new electric sedan, which has sparked controversy. What are your thoughts: Should automakers be required to keep a rear window for safety, or are these instances too rare, allowing designers to experiment freely?