Month: August 2016

Japan has just introduced a game changing law, that allows cameras to replaces the conventional external rear view mirror.

Since most of us can all probably remember, cars have always had external rear view mirrors. They in fact date all the way back to 1909, when a woman Dorothy Levitt, the first British woman racing driver, made it become a staple safety feature when she suggested it in her book The Woman and the Car. Only in 1978 did it become mandatory by law to have at least one external mirror.

Many concept cars such as BMW i8 Spyder (on the right) or the Open Vision GT (left) have ditched the external mirrors for a more sleek and streamlined appearance, but now Japan has changed the game and approved a law allowing rear view mirrors to be replaced by rear-facing cameras.

But are they better than mirrors?

In essence, cameras are a great idea. They don’t require much space, they don’t need to hang off the side of the car – thereby reducing drag, wind noise and potentially saving you money.

Rear view mirrors are susceptible to damage, so, with all the technology that goes into them nowadays, replacing one could cost you up to £500. But also depending on where the monitor is fitted, it could also reduce the amount of time a driver’s eyes are off the road.

Here are some more advantages of rear view cameras;

• Wider field vision – eliminating blind spots
• Potential 360 degree visibility
• Cameras can focus where you please
• Can aid in parking and maneuvering into tight spaces.

However, there are disadvantages that come with having rear view cameras. For one, how clear will the camera be when it’s raining? And other downsides such as;

• The lense need to stay clean and dirt free so you can see
• Electrical problems during a journey can leave you with no rearward visibility
• Going digital will mean some seriously pricey repairs

At the moment Japan is the currently the only country to have introduced this new law, so it may take a long time until we begin to see this new system on the road. If the technology improves and can be proven to be reliable and safe then we could see this change in the UK at some point in the future. But unfortunately not any time soon. Nevertheless, the idea is pretty awesome.

Here at TUX Auto staying up to date with the latest technology is something that is truly important to us. With that principle in mind, we strive to improve our operations wherever we see fit, to both benefit our trusted and loyal dealers and then on to the eventual buyers and users of the wheels themselves. One of those areas is product availability and fitment –  undoubtedly an important area.

Infinite Bolt Patterns Solved

The volume of car manufacturers and car models are ever increasing, the size of wheels can change on each and every model as well as the bolt patterns meaning that every time a unique car model is released, we have to custom make a set of wheels to ensure compatibility with the car’s new mechanics. Providing diverse compatibility for so many variations in such a developing market is beneficial for retailers and consumers.

Now armed with our with brand new cutting edge drilling machine (no pun intended), we are able to provide our dealers with a supply of blank wheels suitable for 99% of vehicles. We are able to take, for example, a standard setup of our Riviera wheels which has by standard a 5 bolt central layout and modify the bolt patterns to match newer models or more importantly a more comprehensive range of car models.

Uniqueness Makes For Possibilities

This is a benefit that is fairly unique to us, as only a select number of suppliers can provide the same service to their dealers. Therefore, as well as ourselves, we are also benefiting our dealers with bigger opportunities. You can be safely assured that the new wheels being fitted your vehicle are in safe hands and will come delivered with the supreme quality that we at TUX Auto demand.

We, as manufacturers, have paid close attention to the developing market. Furthermore, the fact is that the vast majority of people want custom modifications to their cars, (in this case rims). However, they often meet an old age problem of having what many would class as a “standard” car. This problem you could say originated from custom car manufacturers designing for the top 10% of cars, for example, Audi’s, Mercedes and BMW, at least premium car mod manufacturers.

However, this technology has allowed our premium designed wheels to fit on your “standard” car and for us, that is the pinnacle of our development going forward, although providing custom wheels for a premium vehicle is something we are proud of and is the pinnacle of our company, we now believe that making our range of excellent wheels compatible with a vaster range of vehicles is paramount for future progression and improvement of our operations.