Dash Cams are getting more and more attention for protection and safety measure these days. It’s definitely better to have one in your car especially in case of a car accident. The advent of technology, Dash Cams have lots of features like extended recording using cloud storage, mapping using a built-in GPS, and a high quality of a camera. But wait, aren’t these features something you need to pay the extra money and get a new device? Well, your smartphone already has all of them. And, there are already some apps that allow you to use your smartphone as a dash cam. Here are some popular dash cam apps for Android.
AutoBoy Dash Cam – BlackBox
AutoGuard Dash Cam – Blackbox
DailyRoads Voyager
Dash Cam apps does a simple job. They use a camera on a smartphone to record your drive. But instead of using regular camera app, you can make a continuous recording just like dedicated dash cams. So, you don’t have to erase the recording manually over and over. Among these apps, their features are almost the same. You can use whichever apps above you prefer about its design or ease of use. And, all these apps have a pro version for $2.99 to $4.99. Pro versions basically offer No-Add in the app.
Dash cam apps work great. However, if you want a dash cam because you need extra security in a case of a car accident, you will definitely need a dedicated dash cam because it has more features that may help you in a case of car accident. So, it’s important to know that the pros and cons of dash cam apps and a comparison to dedicated dash cams.
Pros and Cons of Dash Cam App for smartphone
Pros
- Free or less cost – Many apps are free, and some apps have pro versions that cost less than $5. You need a smartphone, but you probably already have one. You may have many unused smartphones in a drawer if you upgrade very often. Another item you need is a car mount. But, you may also have one already. Even if you don’t have a car mount, you can get a decent one for less than $15.
- Front Camera – You can also use a front camera to shoot inside your car. You can switch back and forth with a single tap. Thus, it’s suitable for recreational use. For example, during a road trip, you capture the view of a scenic road and sometimes switch to a front camera to shoot your family enjoying inside your car.
Cons
- Narrow FOV (Field of View) – Dedicated Dash Cams have a wider FOV than cameras on smartphones. It’s important because it captures a lot of information. For example, when you have an accident at an intersection, the other car ignores the stop sign and hit you on the side of your vehicle. Depending on the speed of your car and the others’, it may not have captured the other car’s driving at all.
- No Motion and Impact sensors – Most dedicated dash cams have built-in motion and impact sensors. These sensors trigger the recording when a vehicle is parked. And, impact sensors also trigger when driving. For example, when you have an accident, it automatically stores the recording in the different section of the storage, includes 30 seconds before and after the impact from the crash, so it prevents the recording of the accident from erasing or overwriting by mistake.
- No Optimal Night Mode – Although the quality of a smartphone’s camera is superb, it’s not meant to be for shooting a video in a dark environment.
- Possible Overheating or Freezing – Smartphones are prone to overheating or freezing under heavy load. Besides, they aren’t created for long hours of video recordings. If you are out of luck, this may happen when you need it the most.
Read Also: How to choose the best Dash Cam for your car