Since May 2018, in the US, all cars, SUVs, trucks and vans are required to have rear-view visibility systems, i.e. Rear View Backup Cameras. All new model cars manufactured in the US have rear view cameras installed. While in Europe and elsewhere many of the newer cars have them already included.

But when will car makers start including front facing cameras? Dash Cams already installed that continually record on a loop to an SD card, linking to the clock as well as the rear screen?

This may be George Orwell’s nightmare, but Dash Cams are cheap and have proved hugely useful in apportioning blame in any accidents. They could be standard in new cars one day soon. But could this mean the end of dash cams – as we know them now?

The cost of technology is falling, and its capabilities are growing. With the ability to improve the insurance claims journey, provide fairer premiums, encourage safer driving and ultimately save lives on the roads, the future could soon be very different to what it is now.
It is quite possible that soon Dash Cameras will be just as common as SatNavs.

With more insurance companies starting to offer financial incentives, consumer demand for safety cameras is increasing.

Recognizing this, there are a few car manufacturers who have already taken the plunge and have begun installing dashboard cameras, or the equivalent, into their newer models, often at the higher end of the market and sometimes as an optional accessory feature at extra cost.

Citroen C3. The Citroen C3 has a front-facing HD camera integrated into the rear view mirror. The ‘ConnectedCAM’ on the Citroën C3 means you can film spectacular scenery, unusual locations and cityscape. It automatically records and saves the 90-seconds leading up to any accident detected.

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 Cameras have over Cadillac’s system is location and GPS functionality. The Surround Vision Recorder will not include such information.

Chevrolet Performance Data Recorder (PDR). We’ve seen systems like General Motor’s performance data recorder that offers video and data overlays that help in motorsports applications. This system records to an SD card and even offers a valet mode to record while the car is being driven by others. That being said, this system is an $1800 option on the 2018 Corvette Stingray and the actual video quality is not as good as many ‘aftermarket’ regular Dash Cams that only cost about $100. This system works great as a driver tool on a racetrack, but it’s not really marketed as a tool to promote safe driving or help with insurance purposes. Instead, the emphasis is to use the recorder as a recreational/sports gadget.

Toyota Genuine Dash Camera. Recently Toyota launched their own dealer installed dash cam, the Toyota Genuine Dash Camera. This is a compact wedge shaped dash cam that is more discreet than most manufacturer branded systems.

It doesn’t use an LCD screen which helps with compliance in various states. Instead, it offers a WiFi app (Toyota Dashcam Viewer) for setup and video downloads. It can record incidents in parking mode but just offers the front channel for recording. This option goes for $558.50 installed in Canada which is a hefty price for a 1 channel system in our opinion. The video quality from the app screenshots seem pretty average and better systems are available for the money offering more advanced features as well.

And DS Automobiles has added new options for DS 7 Crossback customers, including a new ConnectedCAM that equips the car with an in-built dash cam that drivers can remotely connect to and take photos from.

The DS ConnectedCAM uses an outward facing camera mounted beneath the rear view mirror that has an in-built 16GB memory. It is equipped with HD GPS technology and Wi-Fi enabling drivers to have access to video recording in the event of an accident (30 seconds before and one minute afterwards) and to take a photo of the area outside the vehicle. Drivers can remotely connect to the device using a compatible smartphone. The system works independently of the infotainment system and uses a dedicated on/off button and a button to start recording and automatically share photos.

DS ConnectedCAM is available as part of the Premium Safety pack (standard on Ultra Prestige), and is also available as a stand-alone option on this trim level. The safety pack also includes Active blind spot detection, Lane keeping assist, Extended traffic sign recognition, Driver attention alert and DS Connected Pilot. The pack costs £1,450 for Performance models, £750 for Prestige models and £400 for Ultra Prestige.

In addition, DS has extended the equipment range to include a new interior for the DS Inspiration OPERA: Alezan Brown Nappa leather with watchstrap design as well as a host of now stand-alone options including Webasto remotely controlled heater, remote tailgate opening and more.

Tesla already have Model 3’s equipped with Enhanced AutoPilot, but with the introduction of its latest software update called “Sentry Mode” Tesla drivers will be able to record and store video footage captured by the car’s forward facing camera onto a USB flash drive.

A company called NVIDIA is using artificial intelligence and cameras to sense where a driver is looking and focus sensors everywhere else. If a pedestrian or another vehicle appears where the driver isn’t looking, the system will intervene, either sounding a warning or by stopping the car from moving. NVIDIA has a contract with Volkswagen to deploy the system in the next two years.

So why don’t all car manufacturers offer built-in dash cams already, not just as an option?

There are two main reasons, the first is really cost, in an industry that scrapes to save every cent on production costs, cameras, which are a more complicated option than you can imagine, are avoidable.

The other factor that makes the decision easy for the manufacturers to make is one of legality. Many countries ban the use of DashCams, others have strict restrictions on their use, especially when it comes to recording audio and encroaching on privacy rights. They are useful to assist in pinning blame after an incident, but there are many other fatigue and collision mitigation systems that are available that also make road use safer and for the manufacturers, should be much higher up the priority lists.

Below are 3 of the obstacles that car manufacturers have to work around to release a dash cam at the factory or dealership level.

Obstacle 1: Memory Cards There are a number of reasons why car companies might be hesitant to release a dash cam at the factory level. For starters, there is the issue of liability and warranty. A factory dash cam would need to be covered by the bumper to bumper warranty by the manufacturer which is typically between three to five years. Whereas most dash cam manufacturers only offer a 1 year warranty. In our experience, the vast majority of dash cams last well beyond the 1 year warranty but Micro SD cards have a limited life cycle and are unlikely to last much more than a year. This means that the driver needs to stay on top of the memory card status and condition, but it can certainly create a dilemma for the manufacturer if the camera doesn’t record an accident due to a failed memory card.

Obstacle 2: Support Another obstacle for car companies and dealerships may be the overall ease of use with dash cams. Higher end devices with WiFi apps and parking mode are harder to use and may be hard for sales and service staff to troubleshoot for customers. If the camera does offer parking mode, battery discharge is another concern as it does put stress on the car’s battery and will cause some premature wear. Since the battery is another warrantied part of the car, they must also be mindful of covering and replacing that. Traditionally dealerships would deny warranty on batteries if a dash cam was hardwired but that wouldn’t be an option with factory or dealer-installed dash cams.

Obstacle 3: Liability There is also a matter of legality since the vehicles will be sold in different markets. In certain markets, having an LCD screen attached to the windshield can be illegal, making dash cams hard to implement at the factory level.

Dash cams that are added as an aftermarket or dealer-installed accessory are a way around that obstacle as they can ensure compliance for certain jurisdictions. Aftermarket dash cams can even be sold as “for off-road use only” accessories to reduce liability.

There is a growing demand for reliable dash cam systems but it probably is just not worth spending what some car manufacturers charge for their dealer-installed accessories or optional extras. For the same money (or less in many cases) we can recommend better dash cam systems that have a proven track record of dependability. In contrast, although these manufacturer backed systems often carry the balance of the factory warranty, their actual reliability is unknown due to very limited market data. There could also be concerns about after-sales support compared to more regular dash cams.

We believe that most Dash Cam systems, which you can easily install yourself, offer not only better video quality, but better support at a lower price point than car manufacturer branded dash cam systems. Check out our selection of Dash Cams Today!

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Be sure to get the right Dash Mount or other accessories you may need for installing your Dash Cam in your car or vehicle!