Google is reportedly working on a feature that will allow phones to be used as dashcams. Typically, a dash cam or dashboard camera is a compact camera that is mounted on a car’s dashboard or windshield (behind the rear-view mirror). The dashcam records everything in front of the car while driving, and some high-end dashcams allow you to capture rear-view images using a rear-facing lens. According to reports, a similar feature will be available in Pixel smartphones as well as certain Android phones like that Nothing phone 1.
According to a 9to5Google report, the company mistakenly released the “Dogfood” apk version of the Personal Safety app. The report added that the app appears to have a feature called Dashcam. According to the report, the feature will allow users to use their phones as dash cams. The feature records video and optional audio while driving, helping to capture useful footage in the event of an accident or other uncertain circumstances.
The report added that the feature can be accessed via a “dashcam” shortcut in the ***Be Prepared*** section of the home page, which also includes features like ***Emergency Release*** and ***Security Check * are listed. ** and ***Car Accident Detection***. Here you can start recording manually or view your recent videos. Reportedly, when enabled, the feature won’t interrupt usage of the phone, including navigating using Google Maps. The phone can also be locked to save power and the feature will continue to run uninterrupted, the report said.
According to the report, when setting up the feature, users can choose to automatically start recording when the phone is connected to a specific Bluetooth device installed in the car, such as the music system, and stop when the connection is disconnected.
Google apparently designed the feature to automatically delete recorded footage from the dash cam after three days unless manually saved to the device or cloud. The recording will also be compressed, according to the report, at an average speed of “30MB per minute” with a maximum recording time of 24 hours.
Whether the dash cam feature uses an ultra wide angle lens or uses a special cooling technique to prevent overheating from the constant recording and/or mounting in a position with direct access to sunlight is unknown. The company hasn’t officially announced or even hinted at this feature yet, so any reports regarding it should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Google recently hosted and launched the I/O 2023 event Google Pixel 7a And Google Pixel Fold. When the dashcam feature rolls out, expect it to appear in both phones, as well as other Pixel phones and select Android smartphones.
