Garmin has announced the Garmin Dash Cam, a high-definition camera that mounts to any vehicles’ windshield. Dash Cam continuously records a wide-angle view of the road while driving. Once installed, the camera is fully automated: It starts recording when the engine is turned on and stops when it is turned off. The integrated gravity sensor (G-Sensor) automatically detects incidents, such as braking or a collision, and saves the relevant video files.
Dash Cam is available with and without GPS. The GPS receiver time-stamps and geo-tags all footage, so users can view exactly where and when events occurred.
“Garmin Dash Cam is like a personal eyewitness that never misses an incident and provides proof of what happens on the road,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “It is fully automated and gives drivers peace of mind knowing any events that might occur will be captured. Features such as an internal microphone and GPS add valuable context to the video files.”
Dash Cam records 1080p, 720p or WVGA video files in a continuous loop, using the included 4 GB microSD card. To add more memory, users can add a larger microSD card (up to 32 GB). When an incident – like hard braking or a collision – is detected by the built-in G-Sensor, Dash Cam knows to save the current, last and next recordings, preserving a complete record of the event. All footage is stamped with time and location, so drivers know exactly when and where events occurred, including latitude, longitude, date, time, speed and direction of travel. The integrated microphone provides the option of recording audio inside the vehicle.
The 2.3-inch color display makes it easy to position the camera in the car and review video right on the device. Dash Cam is easy to install using the included suction cup mount for the windshield as well as a vehicle power cable. For a close-up view of vehicle or property damage, users can remove Dash Cam from the vehicle and take snapshots
Garmin Dash Cam 10 (without GPS) has a suggested retail price of $219.99 and Dash Cam 20 (with GPS) has a suggested retail price of $249.99. Both cameras are expected to become available in February 2014.
Garmin Dash Cam is the latest from Garmin’s consumer automotive segment. Garmin’s user-friendly personal navigation devices and apps have innovative features that provide time- and fuel-saving benefits to meet the demands of everyday driving.
