The Benefits and Uses of Car Dash Cams

The Benefits and Uses of Car Dash Cams

Image of a Car Dash Cam

What are Car Dash Cams?

Dash Cam is the short form for Dashboard camera. This is a small camera that is traditionally attached on a car’s windshield or on top of the dashboard. It records real-time video footage for the road ahead and stores it in a memory card for future reference. Some dashboard cameras also record both audio and video footage.

What are the options?

• Front-facing or 1-channel dash cams

• Dual-facing or 2-channel dash cams

• Multi-channel dashboard cameras 

These are some of the most common car cameras. Some dashcams have a built-in display screen, while others don’t have one. Different car dashcam manufacturers have invested heavily in various system integrations. Global positioning systems (GPS) for real-time car location, and artificial intelligence (AI) for driver monitoring systems (DMS) are some of the successful integrations.

The silent witness on the road

There are several types of dash cams and they are classified according to installed features and varied specifications. They range from the most basic plug-and-play units to the more advanced high-end ones. Some store the data and audio footage in memory cards so you can retrieve later on your desktop or laptop, while others are wi-fi enabled. The high-end dash cams are mostly cloud-based and allow for remote viewing and download of video/audio footage over the air.

Common Dash Cam features

Dash cams have basic features that cut across all the types and models, to enable them deliver on their mandate seamlessly. The most common dash cam basic features are;

• Power on/off

This is the most basic feature of all dash cams. It allows the dash cam to automatically switch on and start recording when the car is switched on. You don't need to click any switch on the camera.

• Storage

Video and audio recordings are stored in a SD card slotted into the dash cam. This ensures that your data is saved for future reference. Camera manufacturers recommend a class-10 card for good functionality.

• Loop recording

A dash cam should be able to record new footage and erase the old clips automatically. This creates storage space for new clips without having to remove the SD card for manual formatting.

• Parking mode

Parking lot incidents and accidents are common in public parking lots. This functionality lets your camera capture these occurrences. A camera should perform this task even when the car is off.  

• Secure mounting

The force of impact during an accident, or the general vibration of a car require firm installations. A firmly attached dash cam will endure all these elements without suffering damage or constantly falling off.

• Night vision

This is also referred to as low-light vision. Night vision functionality allows the camera to record clear video footage even in low-lit areas. 

• Audio recording

Any dash cam worth its name should effortlessly and simultaneously capture video and audio footage. The sights and sounds give you a clear picture of what really happened in an incident or accident. 

• Motion and impact detection

This is made possible by integration of G-sensors for impact detection, and motion sensors for motion detection. This makes your dash cam the silent witness even when the car is parked.

Car dash cams are the ever-present and unbiased sentries over your vehicle when it's at the parking lot. They are the ever-watchful and unblinking eyes when you are on the road. The factual and silent witnesses in every incident or accident.