Why dashcams are so important.

Nodding_Donkey

The problem with hardwiring it to the interior light are:

The hardwire kits are usually quite long, you could shorten the 12v wires but this would still leave quite a long wire on the 5v side, what would you do with it?

Interior lights are usually a pemanent live not a switched live.

The wiring to the interior light is designed to power a couple of low wattage bulbs and you could easily overload it.

oldhand

Im just surprised that dashcams are not fitted as standard on all cars now,the cost of fitting them on the production line would be far less than buying an aftermarket kit and the car makers could fit them to blend in with the dash similar to the sat navs now.
They really are one of the best drivers aids to have come out in many years.......

neilmcl

oldhand wrote: »

Im just surprised that dashcams are not fitted as standard on all cars now,the cost of fitting them on the production line would be far less than buying an aftermarket kit and the car makers could fit them to blend in with the dash similar to the sat navs now.
They really are one of the best drivers aids to have come out in many years.......

Not really a "driving aid" and whilst there's a lot of drivers, already interested in a dash cam as an added security feature, will no doubt share your view I'd bet there are many more that would baulk at the idea of an inbuilt camera capturing their every day driving style and habits. Much better to have it as an optional extra.

pinkteapot

Strider590 wrote: »

When I had my accident back in 2009, Admiral "lost" the CD with the video footage 6 times, when they got it they couldn't play it (I think they inserted the CD and expected it to just auto play) and they couldn't view it on Youtube because it was blocked on their network and when they finally saw it, they were suspicious of why I was driving around with a dashcam.

Perhaps things have changed?

Times have definitely changed. I'm with Admiral and phoned them to report an accident a couple of months ago. When going through the standard set of questions they ask when you first report a new claim, one of the first was "Did a dash cam record the accident?"!

Mercdriver

They can be good for a laugh too:

https://youtu.be/JwDaLeIKXuY?t=5m8s

almillar

Yes it is and some users have chosen to do that. All you need do is find a switched live feed and earth

Your stereo, if it has anywhere near standard wiring, will have a permanent live (USUALLY yellow) and a switched live (as in, has power when key is in 'ACC' position). if you can splice into yellow, that's your ticket.