Dashboard Cameras Attributing to Safer Driving and Much More  

Role of Dashboard Camera

The reconstruction of road accidents remains a challenge in forensic pathology; it is generally based on circumstantial data. Dashboard cameras are digital video recorders placed on the inside of the windscreen in a car to continuously record the view. Dashboard cameras are evolving increasingly globally. These are vital in limiting complexities in insurance claims and ensuring safer driving. Over the past few years, the rising incidence of automobile thefts and road accidents has fueled the demand for dashboard cameras. The product can avoid insurance fraud, such as deliberately causing vehicle damage to avail insurance claims. The footage captured by dashboard cameras is an important source of high-quality evidence for resource-strapped law enforcement authorities.

Moreover, it has become important for commercial fleet providers to have an AI-imbibed dashcam logistics fleet monitoring system. It is easy to track freight using a network of dashboard cameras supported by a control center, displaying the location of all the fleet’s vehicles. Nowadays, logistics companies use computers or mobile devices to carry all semi-trucks and logistics cargo sites, permitting them to schedule freight pickup and arrival schedules. These aspects have upsurge the demand for dashboard cameras in the global market.

Government Point of View Regarding Dashboard Cameras

Governments of countries such as the UK, Russia, and the US are encouraging the installation of dashboard cameras in cars for security and safety measures. In Belgium and France, dashboard cameras have been legalized for private use. An online portal launched in October 2016 by the Metropolitan Police Service in London collects 7,000 recordings each year through dashboard cameras to support over 300 prosecutions. Also, Senator JV Ejercito of the Philippines announced legislation mandating dashboard cameras systems in all government-owned police cars, PUVs, and school buses.

Benefits of Using a Dashboard Camera

The dashboard cameras are gaining popularity owing to their benefits such as:

• Strong Evidence: It provides a real-time video recording of a particular incident along with timestamp.
• Limits Insurance Premiums: A vehicle installed with a dashboard camera can be advantageous for insurance providers to provide lower insurance premium.
• Avoid Improper Tickets and Liability Claims: According to an investigation run by the Chicago Tribune, a number of drivers in Illinois were issued improper tickets from 2007 to 2014. These tickets were autogenerated robotic cameras that malfunctioned or were manipulated to cause a spike in citations that city officials could not explain. With the help of dashboard camera, defendants can submit proof of innocence.
• Prevent Insurance Fraud: Fraudsters try to victimize insurers with fraudulent claims that are made by accident-staging or hiding cars to falsely report it to be stolen. Such scams can be prevented or well assessed with dashboard cameras.
• Can Record Your Trip: Apart from providing evidence, dashboard camera can be used to capture road trips to cherish memories.

How to Choose the Best Dashboard Camera?

With several options available in the market, it can get a little tricky to choose the best dashboard camera that meets an individual’s requirement. The following points can be considered before buying a dashboard camera:

• Video Resolution: The modern dashboard cameras can shoot in 4K or full-HD resolution; the higher the resolution, the higher the video quality.
• Field of View (FOV): The car dashboard cameras come with a wide-angle lens for a wider view.
• Storage: The high-quality video needs a lot of storage space. Therefore, buy a dashboard camera having an SD card of up to 64–128 GB.
• GPS: A few dashboard cameras have an in-built GPS tracker to track vehicle speed and position. This feature is useful when analysing video footage of an accident.

Personal Vehicle Segment Dominating Dashboard Cameras

As per the industry analysis, dashboard cameras are majorly used by the population having personal vehicles over commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles are installed with dashboard cameras mainly for monitoring, tracking, and safety purposes. Globally, automobile sales are continuously rising. Consumers want advanced facilities, safety, and convenience in a vehicle. Thus, manufacturers are attaching the best dashboard cameras in the automobiles to ensure consumer satisfaction.

Product Launches and Innovations

The advancements in technologies and new product launches by key players are increasing the awareness of dashboard cameras among the population. Presently, dashboard cameras have a 3-axis G-sensor, detecting sudden movements such as emergency braking or collisions. In August 2021, KeepTruckin launched a new AI dashcam to instantly detect unsafe driving with unrivalled accuracy and the ability to alert drivers using phones while driving in real time. ‘ConnectedCAM’ is Citroen’s built-in dashcam with a phone app to access the footage. In March 2020, Waylens, Inc. partnered with Hygealeo, an Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions provider, offered a security solution through the Secure360 dashboard camera for cold chain transportation, including vehicle location and data monitoring and the ability to record rear, front, and cabin footage.

Such innovations are propelling the demand for dashboard cameras. Garmin Ltd., Falcon Electronics LLC, Panasonic Corporation, Cobra Electronics Corporation, THINKWARE, Pittasoft Co. Ltd., Harman International, and LG Innotek are a few significant market players operating in the dashboard camera market.