Dashcam

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Two dashcams on a windshield Dashcams P1210466.JPG
Two dashcams on a windshield

A dashboard camera or simply dashcam, also known as car digital video recorder (car DVR), driving recorder, or event data recorder (EDR), is an onboard camera that continuously records the view through a vehicle's front windscreen and sometimes rear or other windows. Some dashcams include a camera to record the interior of the car in 360 degrees inside camera, usually in a ball form, and can automatically send pictures and video using 4G.

Contents

EDRs and some dashcams also record acceleration/deceleration g-force, speed, steering angle, GPS data, voltage of the power source (vehicle's electrical net), etc.

A wide-angle 130, 170° or more front camera may be attached to the interior windscreen, to the rear-view mirror (clip on), or to the top of the dashboard, by suction cup or adhesive-tape mount. A rear camera is usually mounted in the rear window or in the registration plate, with a RCA video output to the display monitor/screen.

The resolution will determine the overall quality of the video. Full HD or 1080p (1920×1080) is standard for dash HD cams. Dash cameras may have 1080p, 1296p (common for Chinese dashcams), 1440p, or higher definition for a front camera and 720p for a back camera and include f/1.8 aperture and night vision mode.

Types

By targeted field of view:

Some cabin cams include a screen that can be attached to the rear-view mirror employing usually rubber rings or straps or as a direct replacement of the rear view mirror itself. Others attach to the windshield, dash, or other suitable interior surfaces

Many dashcams include rechargeable batteries not needed when connected to car battery wire or capacitors.

Functions

To ensure that recorded video files are not tampered with once they have been recorded, videos can be timestamped in a tamper-proof manner, a procedure termed trusted timestamping.

To ensure a reliable 24/7 parking surveillance when capacity is an issue, a motion detector may be used to record only when an approaching human/vehicle is detected, in order to save power and storage media. [1]

Advanced driver assistance system ADAS and park location save can be included.

SD-cards, satellite and wireless

SD-cards

Dashcams usually use class 10 or above MicroSDHC or MicroSDXC cards usually 16 GB or higher or internal memory to save videos.

Satellite

The port to connect the GPS antenna can use a micro USB or 3.5 mm jack connection. The antenna is usually 1575 to 1568 MHz and 3.0 to 5.0 V.

GPS coordinate stamping capability is included in most dashcams (some need an external GPS antenna, but other dashcam systems have built-in GPS), and others include GPS (online and offline) navigation.

Wireless connectivity

Some dashcams include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4G connectivity.

For Bluetooth and voice commands and recording, a built-in microphone is included.

4G triple-cam (also called triple-lens and three-way-cams) sets on rearview mirror are becoming more available (2 front cameras - one 170° to mainly record road, one 360° for sides and doors and a rear camera).

4G is used to send messages, calls, pictures, and videos in parking surveillance mode. Usually a second 360° camera is employed to record the car's sides front doors and windows and inside.

Also, 4G is used to send a message when the car battery is low.

Hardwire

Dashcam units usually operate via the vehicle electrical system, converting the 13.8V to a 5V USB connector. Dashcams can be plugged in via the cigarette lighter socket, or may be hardwired directly into the electrical system, freeing up the power outlet for other uses.

In order to store files and properly format the media card when power is turned off, dashcams use either a Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery or a capacitor. While both provide power for a very short period of time, they have very different operating capabilities and limitations. LiPo batteries have an estimated life of 2-3 years or roughly 300-500 cycles. Over time, the material inside the battery will start to degrade resulting in out-gassing. This can be observed in a swollen or puffy looking battery case. When a LiPo battery reaches this point, the battery is no longer able to hold a charge. The result is a camera that may randomly turn on or off, or register format errors if it can't shut down correctly when power is turned off since it can only function when using the power from the vehicle. Capacitors can also store a temporary charge and will last much longer. They are also more resistant to higher operating temperatures, but are more expensive and require additional hardware or software support. Generally the LiPo batteries are found in less expensive dashcams and capacitors are used in more expensive dashcams.

Culture

Dashcam recording of the Chelyabinsk meteor

Dashcams are widespread in Russia [2] as a guard against police corruption and insurance fraud, where they provide additional evidence. [3] They have been called "ubiquitous" and "an on-line obsession", and are so prevalent that dashcam recordings were the most common videos of the February 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor, [4] which was documented from at least a dozen angles. Videos showing automobile and aircraft crashes, close calls, and attempts at insurance fraud have been uploaded to social sharing websites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Yandex, and other websites.[ citation needed ]

In the United Kingdom, sales of dashcams rocketed in 2015, which was the fastest growing consumer electronic, with sales increasing by 395%. [5]

In China, dashcams were well known by a dramatic event of a road rage. [6] [ further explanation needed ]

Dashcams have also captured numerous aviation accidents, such as National Airlines Flight 102 in 2013, [7] TransAsia Airways Flight 235 in 2015, [8] the Shoreham Airshow crash in 2015, [9] and the catastrophic engine failure of United Airlines Flight 328 in 2021. [10]

Dashboard cameras have become the top feature wanted by future vehicle buyers, [11] and more car manufacturers are incorporating built-in camera systems. [12]

Legality

While dashcams are gaining in popularity as a way of protection against distortion of facts, they also attract negative attitudes for privacy concerns. This is also reflected in the laws of different countries in different and conflicting ways:

Police use

Police departments use dashcams in police vehicles to gather evidence during traffic stops and car chases. [23] Some dashcam systems can be automatically activated when a police car's emergency lights or siren are turned on. [24] [25] [26] Freedom of information laws mean that the footage can be released under some circumstances, [27] and this can be an important tool in reporting on police actions. [28] TV shows like World's Wildest Police Videos have frequently featured car chase videos shot from dashcams.

Some police officers accused of police brutality or misconduct tamper with their cameras to disable audio or video recording. [29] A report in 2016 showed that in Chicago, 80% of the police dashcams did not work properly. Among the causes were that officers destroyed antennas, hid microphones, and removed batteries or recording media. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sousveillance</span> Recording of an activity by a participant

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police car</span> Ground vehicle used by police for transportation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rear-view mirror</span> Mirror in vehicles that allows the driver to see rearwards

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A GPS tracking unit, geotracking unit, satellite tracking unit, or simply tracker is a navigation device normally on a vehicle, asset, person or animal that uses satellite navigation to determine its movement and determine its WGS84 UTM geographic position (geotracking) to determine its location. Satellite tracking devices may send special satellite signals that are processed by a receiver.

An event data recorder (EDR), more specifically motor vehicle event data recorder (MVEDR), similar to an accident data recorder, (ADR) sometimes referred to informally as an automotive black box, is a device installed in some automobiles to record information related to traffic collisions. In the USA EDRs must meet federal standards, as described within the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backup camera</span> Vehicle accessory

A backup camera is a video camera that is produced specifically for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up and to reduce the rear blind spot. The rear blind spot has been described as a "killing zone" because of the accidents it contributes to. Backup cameras are usually connected to the vehicle's head unit display. A common variant is a surround-view system, which assembles a synthetic but positionally accurate top-down view of the vehicle and its adjacencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onboard camera</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro-Vision</span> Manufacturer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Joseph Mann</span> American police shooting in Sacramento, California, United States

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