Rear Cross Traffic - How does this work?

[swanniebird]

Does anyone have this system on their car without the rear parking sensors? I'm wondering how this works without those. Does it beep when something comes up or only flash on the screen? It doesn't make sense to me how the tech package adds this feature but the parking sensors are still an option to add separately... (uhm)

 

[CXVille]

I have it on our i Touring. It works off the car-in-the-lane-next-to-you thing. It has some kind of sensors in the rear bumper corners that senses vehicles (and guard rails) behind and to the sides of the car. Right where cross traffic would also be. Some bright engineer figured this out and added it to the feature set. I have had it work once - very effective. You get the same beeping as the car-in-the-lane thing and the little icons on both mirrors flash.

 

[ceric]

In addition to the blind spot monitoring, which only works above 20mph, the RCT works when you engage "R" gear. It senses the rear cross traffic while you back up the vehicle. Very very useful in parking lot. Imagine that your 3 is parked between two SUVs. RCT can warn you of on-coming traffic in the lane you are backing onto. The distance is up to 50 ft away. I was very surprised when it worked 1st time. I had the BSM on my CX9 so it was nothing new to me. RCT is a good addition to the technology. There are two small radars on the inside corners of rear bumper. Hence, it detects metals. Sometimes it can also detect human, but don't bet on that. Chain link fence, street light posts, guard rails, etc. can also be detected.
It beeps and the LED lights on the side mirrors flashes. (beeping can be turned off)

 

[Ki||ian]

BSM works at speeds lower than 20mph. I've been in double turn lanes and it's gone off when just getting going.

 

[ceric]

Mazda probably changed it for Mazda3.
On my CX9, it was 20mph.

 

[thebobmannh]

Had this work for me the other day when backing out of a spot, it was great. Great little feature.

 

[lowincash]

Best feature so far, the other day backing out of my parking spot, I could have sworn there were no cars then it beeps at me, I stopped and looked back, there was a car. Where the heck it came out from I don't know, but it works and saved my butt