Cars that see through each other's eyes: GM builds a shared camera network

© chevrolet.com

General Motors is working on the idea of a connected network of car cameras. The system would let vehicles share imagery and build a wider view of their surroundings, something close to a «bird's-eye view».

The point of the technology is that a car could draw not only on its own cameras but also on data from other connected vehicles nearby. That could help when pulling out of a blind spot, moving through intersections, parking or maneuvering in heavy traffic. In theory, the approach gives the driver more information than a conventional surround-view camera.

GM already has production camera systems. Chevrolet describes its Camera app as a set of different views around or inside the vehicle, including Surround View, a rear camera, a forward view and Cabin Glance for checking on passengers in the back rows. The company makes a point of warning that the cameras assist the driver but do not replace mirrors and checking over the shoulder.

For now this is not a mass-market feature for every Chevrolet, GMC, Buick or Cadillac, but the direction in which Connected Camera is heading. The system had earlier been planned for select 2026 model-year vehicles after a delay caused by software and supply problems. It is meant to include video access, incident recording, security recording and dashcam functions.