Before backup cameras became commonplace, what alternative technology offered drivers some level of rear-area awareness?

Answer

Rear proximity sensors (beeping warnings)

For many drivers, the introduction to reversing aids came through rear proximity sensors, which beep when getting close to an obstacle, offering a cheaper and simpler method of awareness during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Before backup cameras became commonplace, what alternative technology offered drivers some level of rear-area awareness?
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