In this day and age of cheap video cameras and copious storage options, it seems that almost every event is captured in action. That’s bad news when you’re attempting to dislodge a tickley booger while seemingly solo in an elevator, but it’s a boon for those drivers who have fallen victim to attempted insurance fraud.
Dash Cams are de rigueur in places like Russia where such acts are common. It’s as common a driving companion there as is a hunk of lead pipe to settle road rage arguments or a furry hat. In fact, Dash Cams are becoming ubiquitous not just in Russia but across the globe, that it’s pretty surprising that more manufacturers haven’t started offering them as factory options.
GM does do so on the Corvette and Camaro, but the Performance Data Recorder system on those cars is oriented more towards track time analysis and not catching the guy that just reversed into you on the expressway.
That’s a shame because when it comes to car accidents, sometimes it’s a he-said/she said situation where barring physical evidence, you’re likely to get screwed. A dash cam can alleviate the worry that such a situation could present, and so I think it’s about time that car makers started offering it as an option. Hell, we have connected cars, lets make good use of that connectivity by sending our accidents into the cloud! Would you see value in that? Or, does that sound a little too much like Big Brother looking over your shoulder? What do you think, would you pay for a factory dash cam option?
Image: Money at CNN
Hooniverse Asks: Would You Buy a Built-in Dash Cam Option?
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20 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: Would You Buy a Built-in Dash Cam Option?”
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At some point it will likely be standard or even required.
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The minute the insurance industry figures out that it’s to their advantage.
Also to the advantage of good drivers though so win-win.
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Built-in technology is good for people who like all the gadgets, but even by the time the vehicle comes off lease, it is often dated. The GPS in my wife’s car was a $2000 upgrade from the second-best audio system, but now I can do more, for free, with my phone I already carry.
You can get suction cup dash cams now for under $50, with better video quality than a TV studio camera from 20 years ago.
I would rather buy a stick-on camera and control my own data.-
My thoughts, stated more clearly.
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My first thought was a track-cam, but that’s where my head is usually.
I use Harry’s Lap Times on my iphone which has been upgraded with better cam and storage. Harry keeps the app up to date. It’s a wonder he makes any money, the app is cheep.
Nav systems too. I’d go out of my way to not buy a built in nav. Waze works perfect and it’s free. -
Oh? The way Apple iPhone users control their data? You need to adjust your tin foil hat if you don’t think the data you collect belongs to the manufacturer, even if the hardware belongs to you.
http://lostinsound.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/100910_gong3.jpg-
I have a cheap camera that records to a SD card. Not connected to anything but 12 volts. If The Ghost of Steve Jobs is reading that data, he probably has my house bugged anyway.
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I will just have to learn to clear the tape when I get home, no matter how drunk I am.
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I like the idea of an integrated dashcam, but that’s just because I don’t want an eyesore of a camera stuck haphazardly to my dash or windshield. I want the integrated aesthetic, but any vehicle-specific and non-upgradable camera is a terrible idea.
I would be on board if they can “future-proof” it by coming up with a voluntary standard between all manufacturers so that the camera, memory, and software can be upgraded when necessary. -
No. With my drive it forever mindset and inherent distrust of the nanny state, the fewer built in electronics, the better.
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On that base, is there a car today (say, under 10yo) you would buy?
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Probably not. Every time I consider a newer vehicle, my mind turns to something older that I’d rather have. Our newest car is now 11 years old.
I may ending up bending a bit to get a used Miata or FRS/BRZ.-
My newest car is now 34 years old, which is to say seven years older than my first car was at the time my parents gave it to me as my “going to college” vehicle mumble-mumble years ago. I’ll call this progress.
At this rate a dash cam seems unlikely in my future.-
Given the speeds your cars are capable of, a package tray cam would probably be more useful anyway.
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Either way I don’t know that I can afford the added weight.
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34 year old cars do not draw current. They draw from the past.
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Meh – seems like just another tech add-on that I won’t use and adds $$ to the bottom line.
Somewhat related/not-related at all side note: The other day when it was -20 and too cold for the snow to melt, I took the SS out of it’s winter slumber. Cruise set to 62mph, jammin’ to Octane on the ol’ Sirius, just enjoying a beautiful winter morning. On the road into town we have a goofy S-curve where there used to be an old railroad track. Well, I met a LP truck on that curve, and the forward collision alert kicked in! The dash lit up like a Christmas tree, the cruise not only kicked off, but the car started to brake too. Scared the hell out of me. I need to figure out how to turn that off.
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Stuff like that makes me uneasy. All the inbuilt GPS tracking and connectivity in existing cars is too much for me already.
I’ve wished I had one a couple times, but just for the shennanigans I see. The two accidents my truck has had probably wouldn’t have been caught on dash-cam. One was a rear-ender caused by a car two cars back, the other was a car trying to go straight from the left turn only lane and discovering my driver’s side door making a left turn. Both easily proved to be the other driver’s fault without a cam.
Bought a 16 Ford Escape with the package that includes a back-up camera. It emits a series of faster-pitched beeps when you get close to something like a trash can, snowbank or another car. I really like that thing, I’d like it even more if it faced frontwards too.
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