Make cameras, GPS, and sonsors into a 'dash cam'

[bwilson4web]

Add enough memory and an access mechanism so the BMW i3 is in effect, a rolling dashcam. Add any additional sensor and make it an open standard ... the auto equivalent of an aviation black box.

Bob Wilson

 

[thefuturenow]

The i3 has 40GB of usable storage on-board, which is easily enough for a dash cam especially seeing as most owners don't store music on the i3's hard drive. A front/rear dash cam using both cameras on cars that have them would be great.

 

[thefuturenow]

BMW could even only use ~ 1GB of the hard drive space for the dash cams, saving recordings on impact and on user command.

 

[jadnashuanh]

While the existing rear camera has decent resolution, I'm told, the front one is fairly coarse (no easy way to view it that I know of!). Changing resolution there would entail a moderate amount of updated software for all of the existing logic to still function properly.

 

[gt1]

A good dashcam needs a wide angle lens. The fron cam lens is too narrow.

 

[websterize]

That KAFAS camera already has a seemingly full plate, scanning everything — cars, pedestrians, speed-limit signs — under the sun, not to mention adjusting the car's speed.

Instead of the OEM pipe dream route, there's an inexpensive, DIY approach that takes about an hour to configure and install. I've had good luck with a $60 dash cam from Amazon that is plugged into the 12V socket underneath the HVAC controls. It's mounted in the upper right (passenger) corner of the windshield, with the black power cord tucked neatly away behind the trim, and for the most part out of sight. It's about as conspicuous as an EZ pass. The camera produces very good 1080P HD video, and I don't really think about it anymore. It automatically turns on when I start the car, and the i3 turns off power to the 12V socket about 15 minutes after locking. I pull the memory card every couple of months to make sure it's recording my commute. So far, so good.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-G1W-CB-Capacitor-Dashboard/dp/B00P8F3LD0

 

[thefuturenow]

That KAFAS camera already has a seemingly full plate, scanning everything — cars, pedestrians, speed-limit signs — under the sun, not to mention adjusting the car's speed.

Instead of the OEM pipe dream route, there's an inexpensive, DIY approach that takes about an hour to configure and install. I've had good luck with a $60 dash cam from Amazon that is plugged into the 12V socket underneath the HVAC controls. It's mounted in the upper right (passenger) corner of the windshield, with the black power cord tucked neatly away behind the trim, and for the most part out of sight. It's about as conspicuous as an EZ pass. The camera produces very good 1080P HD video, and I don't really think about it anymore. It automatically turns on when I start the car, and the i3 turns off power to the 12V socket about 15 minutes after locking. I pull the memory card every couple of months to make sure it's recording my commute. So far, so good.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-G1W-CB-Capacitor-Dashboard/dp/B00P8F3LD0

I have the same dash cam but haven't set it up. Do you know the impact on range, and if it will record on impact in a parking lot with this setup?