If you've ever visited Barcelona, you'll recognize the setting for this PR stunt from SEAT. In order to showcase the advanced bird-eye view camera, the automaker covered all the windows of the Ateca crossover.
The video they've released is kind of a shame. They did all that work to rent out the harbor and create an obstacle course, yet only one German tourist gets to experience what it's like to drive without seeing out.
This is by no means the first stunt of the kind, as even the Leon Cupra featured something similar, but using externally mounted cameras, not built-in ones.
You might think the bird's-eye camera is pointless, but SEAT is being smart here. The Ateca's main rival is the Nissan Qashqai, and its 360-degree camera has become one of the best-liked options.
People who buy crossovers aren't keen drivers, so parking can be a hassle. Of course, the Ateca is not a copy of the Qashqai. From the current roster of jacked-up compacts, it's got the most keep driving experience.
Anyway, we need to get back to the video for a second. A passing German tourist was all too keen to test out what the Ateca is like without windows.
“Completely covered? No, I don’t think it can,” says Stefan, a German tourist who is a big fan of Barcelona. “Would you like to give it a try?” SEAT respond. “Of course I would!”
“This is great!” exclaims Stefan. “I can’t see a thing outside, but it works!” “It’s just like a video game,” says the instructor.
The Top View Camera
Like many other systems of this kind, the Top View system is based on four cameras, two under the mirrors and one at each end. A computer futures out how to make a fake image from above the car and it's then displayed on the screen.
Sorry SEAT, you're not special. But since the option costs only €550, it's technically the cheapest on the market.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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