Dashcam is a contraction of dashboard and camera. He records what happens on the road in front of the car. Is it useful to have such a device in the car? We go into more detail here.
A dashcam is a small dashboard camera with a wide angle of view that you mount on the dashboard or windshield of your car. With a dashcam you can record the traffic situation in front of you.
Filming routes
You can use a dashcam for different purposes. For example, you can use it to record a ride on a beautiful road and share it to experience it again. That can be a road, but of course also an entire route. That depends on the camera itself.
Record accidents
Most cameras have a motion sensor (a G-sensor), which triggers in the event of unexpected movements, such as a collision. The images remain on the memory card and can be viewed afterwards via a computer. You then have a film of the last 10 or 15 seconds before the collision. This can help assess a collision. That could be a collision with yourself, but also with someone else. And that in turn can help with the settlement of the damage. Also keep in mind that this can mean the difference between whether or not you retain a no-claim on your insurance and therefore on your insurance premium!
Viewing angle dashcam
What you should pay attention to when you buy a dashcam is the angle of view. You want to see a broad picture for the car, in order to have a literally good story, especially in the event of an accident. That angle of view is therefore best at least 170 degrees. That is ultimately also a standard for dashcams.
Resolution of the images
The film recordings also have a resolution. Choose a dashcam that has the highest possible video resolution, you will enjoy it the most.
loop recording
Most dashcams have the option of loop recording. The recording is automatically cut into pieces of 1 to 3 minutes. When the card is full, the oldest recordings are deleted and replaced by the new ones. You don’t have to worry about that.
Parking function for the dashcam
A dashcam can also have a parking function. Then the camera switches on when it sees movement in front of the car. Those images can be useful in the event of a collision by another, destruction or vandalism. If there is no movement (anymore), the dashcam also switches off again.
GPS sensor
The advanced dashcams also have a GPS sensor. They can then link the location to the images he makes. As a result, it is always clear where you were when the images were captured.
Memory card
The images from a dashcam are recorded on a memory card. When it is full, thanks to loop recording or loop recording, the oldest images are replaced. Via Wi-Fi or a cable, the images can also be transferred to a computer where you can view them with standard video programs.
Dashcam confirmation
Most dashcams are mounted on the window with a holder. They work with power from the cigarette lighter. And with a long cable you can hide it elegantly around the edges of the window and dashboard so that it is not visible. You can then opt for devices that switch on themselves when power is applied to the cable when you switch on the ignition or that respond to movement of the car. So you can’t forget to turn on the dashcam!
Pay attention to parts of the images
In the Netherlands and Belgium it is allowed to use a dashcam. When sharing the images, however, you should take care that it is not possible to directly or indirectly identify people. You will then have to blur faces or license plates. You can use a dashcam in the following countries not to use:
- Germany
- Luxembourg
- Austria
- Portugal
- Spain
- Switzerland
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl