The 2016 line of Toyota Tacoma model versions will have a cool new standard feature, thanks to a Toyota marketing pro's inspired travels to several serious off-roading hotspots including Moab, Utah. Throughout the trip, the guy noticed dozens of GoPro cameras mounted to various spots on many of the trucks, Jeeps, bikes and other off-road rides - some sporting as many as four mounts and cameras. These increasingly popular cameras with amazing stability control are used to record off-roading adventures and post them on YouTube and other social media sites.
That's when inspiration hit.
A suggestion to the company's higher-ups and a phone call to GoPro launched a series of custom design meetings as well as visibility, durability and crash survivability tests to assure that the new mount would withstand extreme heat and humidity, plus heavy vibrations that off-roading can subject a vehicle to. Finally the work produced a solid interior windshield mount that will be available as a standard accessory on all new Tacomas hitting dealerships in September. The collaboration also produced additional mounts that can be attached to the Tacoma's roof rack and the rail system in the pickup bed.
"It gives you a different perspective of your adventure," Tacoma Chief Engineer Mike Sweers told reporters recently.
The feature likely will help boost the Tacoma's competitiveness against already popular off-roading choices including the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and Nissan Frontier pickup trucks. But off-roading enthusiasts aren't the only ones opting for GoPro cameras and mounts in their rides. The feature also is popular as a way to record road conditions, including erratic drivers and potential accidents.
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