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In addition to making this recommendation, the NHTSA also said that the cost of equipping a fleet of 16.6 million new vehicles (the number produced in a year) would come with a hefty price tag somewhere between $1.9 and $2.7 billion dollars. Despite this, the agency said, doing so would reduce the number back-over injuries and deaths by up to 50%.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued a statement on the subject, saying, “There is no more tragic accident than for a parent or caregiver to back out of a garage or driveway and kill or injure an undetected child playing behind the vehicle.” He continued, “The changes we are proposing today will help drivers see into those blind zones directly behind vehicles to make sure it is safe to back up.”

The agency said that comments on the proposed rule will be accepted for sixty days, and that a final rule would be published by the 28th of February. After that, ten percent of new vehicles must comply by September, 2012, 40 percent by September 2013, and 100 percent by 2104.

After the announcment, Ford Motor Co. shared that rear-view cameras would be available on almost all Ford and Lincoln models by the end of next year.

In a statement to the press, Jim Buczkowski, director of electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford said, “Our research shows that visibility is one of the biggest customer concerns today.”

This upswing in the SUV market is apparently surprising carmakers as well as the general public. GM has had to authorize overtime at their production plant in Arlington, TX, where the Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Tahoe are made, because they have such low inventories of these models. USA Today reports that employees there are working 10 hours a day and on Saturdays to meet demand. As well, both Nissan and Toyota are having difficulties keeping up with the demand for their 2011 QX56 Infiniti and Sequoia, respectively.

So, why are SUVs so popular again? Several news sources are speculating that it might be related to forthcoming regulations that could make these vehicles, if not rare, than at least incredibly expensive to own or operate, because of more stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. Stable gas prices, currently at $275/gallon may be a factor as well.

Large SUV sales are good for automakers because it’s basically like “printing cash,” says Jim Hall at 2953 Analytics. That’s because traditional body-on-frame SUVS share much of their hardware with full-size pickup trucks.

And how are compact cars faring in this market? Interestingly, not so well. They’ve only seen a 14% growth rate so far this year.

The free services include vehicle inspections, oil changes, tire rotations, belts and hoses, and wear and tear items like brake pads and wiper blades.

In an announcement to the press, Ken Czubay, Ford Motor Company’s vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service said, “Our commitment is to further grow the Lincoln brand and offer our luxury customers the premium experience they deserve and expect. Our free scheduled maintenance offer marks only the first step in our plans to further upgrade the Lincoln experience.”

After this summer’s sales event, Lincoln plans to add it’s first ever C-segment vehicles – an array of brand-exclusive powertrains which include new transmissions and an all-new V6 engine. The Lincoln line is also planning to add EcoBoost engines across the board, which would include the first use of such an engine in a full-sized Ford or Lincoln SUV.