I have noticed this recently on a few automobiles, including Mercedes, Caddilacs and now just today a Buick Rendevous.
The bumpers appear to have 4-6 screw holes evenly spaced allong the bumber edge. I’m only guessing they are screw holes, though as i have never gotten close enough to investigate.
In this picture you can see 4 of these on the back back bumper:
In a world where we definately have the ability to build flush fitting/attached bumpers, why is this style of attachement only recently (last year or 2) cropping up (that is, if these are attachement points at all)
It might be like some of the Nissan products ( I beleive the Exterra is one, and their light truck) that have actually got what look like rivits in some of the fenders. I’m sure it’s a stylistic choice rather than something they needed to do.
I think they’re ultrasound sensors that chirp to alert the driver that there’s something in the way that their mirrors are unable to show them. I have seen them on some mini-vans as well, but never had occasion to test drive them.
To add to this, I am positive these are not the rivet looking thigs that you see on Nissa Truck products.
Infact, I have only seen these style of fastener (or sensor, as fluoextinchcl is saying) on higher end vehicles - Mercedes, Cadillacs and most recently, the Buick rendevous. Never on a Kia, or Subaru, or Hundai.
Yes they are backup sensors and I don’t care how well they work, they make the back of the car look hideous and I would never order them on my fancy shmancy new car. I have seen quite a few of them on new BMW M3’s. I can understand needing these on a truck or a minivan, but come on, do we really need backup sensors on a sports coupe?
And those foam-filled plastic ding magnets they use today are not bumpers, this is a bumper; a hundred pounds of chrome plated steel with two streamlined nose cones just screams “get outta my way”.
Nah, those are Manliness Points, intended to lend some machismo to the funny looking Rendezvous. This odd vehicle with a French name is an SSSUV (sorta sporty sorta utilitarian vehicle.) Remember, this is the brand that gave you Cruiserline Ventiports, which were chrome-plated faux vents in the front fenders, for many years.