Dash cameras have quickly become a popular purchase for many drivers, but Cadillac has made its first move to integrate the technology into a car from the factory. With the reveal of the 2019 Cadillac CT6 V-Sport, the luxury brand also made the Surround Vision Recorder an available feature on the 2018 CT6.
The system isn’t exactly on a par with regular aftermarket dash cams, but it does nail many of the basics. The Surround Vision Recorder will record either a front or a rear view while driving, not both, though the driver can change the view on the fly. The driver also has to enable the system, or select the system to operate by default upon start-up.
One thing that regular Dash Cam’s have over Cadillac’s system is location and GPS functionality. The Surround Vision Recorder will not include such information.
Additionally, footage captured with the system is most easily viewed inside the car on the infotainment screen. The owner must remove the SD card from the trunk if they want to play the footage on any other device. The system will also record from either side of the vehicle if the alarm system is enabled and the alarm sounds. The side-mirror cameras will not record while driving.
“When the vehicle is locked and the alarm is triggered it will instantly turn on to record what’s going on around the vehicle to provide insight into what’s happening,” a Cadillac spokesperson said.
The system will record five videos that are five-minutes long on the SD card before the Surround Vision Recorder system automatically overwrites the oldest file.
Despite some shortcomings, it’s a pretty big step for in-car recording, and the fact it’s factory-installed is a major plus.
The Surround Vision Recorder comes standard on the CT6 Premium Luxury and Platinum models, so there is no optional pricing at this time.
