Dash cams have been a popular aftermarket addition for drivers due to their safety benefits. One of the trends making a buzz is the inclusion of built-in dash cams in factory car models.
They provide an undisputable video recording of road events… so it seems logical to include them in all new vehicles, right? No, not all car brands are following this path.
Some manufacturers are avoiding putting dash cams in their factory model cars for legal & privacy reasons. There’s a fine line between capturing essential footage for safety purposes and listening to personal car conversations. This article aims to shed light on which car brands include dash cams in their factory models and which ones are steering clear.
Cars With A Built-In Dash Cam
Do cars come with built-in dash cameras?
Yes, car manufacturers like Tesla, BMW, Subaru, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Toyota are the biggest brands with integrated dash cams. Other than road security, car cameras are used to for parking assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and now… autonomous driving. With most companies, built-in camera features depend on the cars make & model – also it’s usually an add-on upcharge instead of a standard feature.
Tesla
When we talk automobile tech, Tesla will undoubtably be mentioned in the conversation. Equipped with eight surrounding cameras to assist the driver and enhance the autopilot functionality, Tesla has leveraged this existing technology to double as a dash cam & sentry mode. You can learn more about the differences between Dashcam Mode & Sentry Mode in one of our recent articles on the innovative tech Tesla’s releasing.
Despite the forward-thinking design, Teslacam has reliability issues but it’s constantly being updated with regular software updates. For instance, to save the footage, you need to manually press the dash camera icon button, which might slip your mind in the chaos following an accident.
If a Tesla is involved in a severe accident where all electrical power is cut off, it might prevent you from saving any footage. But with Tesla’s regular software updates, these problems could be addressed in the future.
Learn more about what Tesla sentry mode is and how events are automatically recorded in our latest article on Tesla’s built-in dash cam. The entire process makes it super easy to save the Tesla dash camera videos and share them where ever you want.
BMW
BMW is known as a luxury brand, and has recently introduced its BMW Drive Recorder, a built-in dash cam technology. It’s good but don’t expect it to replace traditional dash cams just yet.
The Drive Recorder is restricted to two main uses. First, if the car senses a collision, it saves footage 20 seconds before and after the accident using time-lapse detection.
Second, you need to manually activate the Drive Recorder via the iDrive menu whenever you want to record something. With that being said, the recording duration is the same… 20 seconds before and 20 seconds after activation are the only video clips saved.
Drive Recorder is found in the follow BMW models:
- 7 Series
- 3 Series
- 8 Series
- X5
- X7
While BMW Drive Recorder has its limitations, it’s a step towards integrated dash cam technology in vehicles.
Cadillac
Next in line is Cadillac has an inbuilt Surround Vision Recorder, featured in the 2016 to 2019 CT6 models. The system utilizes four exterior cameras to record video. The recording is saved onto an SD card which is located in the trunk near the spare tire.
Although this system provides a good level of surveillance around your vehicle, it can only record either a front or a rear view while driving, not both simultaneously. It’s certainly no replacement for any of the best front and rear dash cams mentioned on our list.
Chevy
Chevrolet is including their Performance Data Recorder (PDR) in performance-oriented models like the Corvette and Camaro. The PDR records both video and telemetric data, such as speed, RPM, gear position, and G-force, making it popular with car enthusiasts who frequent the track.
However for the regular driver, PDR isn’t super useful as a dash cam. This is because, like the BMW Drive Recorder, it requires manual activation & deactivation, making it less than ideal for documenting traffic accidents.
Subaru
Subaru made its entrance in the world of integrated dash cams with their ‘EyeSight’ system. This system is part of the a lot of Subaru vehicles, except the BRZ. EyeSight has two built-in dash cams near the rear-view mirror.
With that being said, it’s mostly for adaptive cruise control and lane-departure assist, but Surbaru has been implementing automatic emergency braking to their dash cam system.
The EyeSight system does record footage in the event of an accident but only retains 22 seconds of it. The access to this recorded footage isn’t straightforward — it requires written permission or a subpoena, adding a layer of complexity to the system.
Toyota
Finally, we have Toyota’s Genuine Dash Camera. Toyota offers this option for several models. Interestingly, the dash cam is not technically built-in to the vehicle itself, but an optional accessory that can be added at the dealership.
It automatically records and saves footage if an accident is detected. It continues recording for up to an hour even when the vehicle is parked, ensuring security around your car at all times – read our article on what parking mode is to learn more.
What is the Toyota Integrated Dashcam?
The Toyota integrated dash cam is officially known as the Genuine Dash Camera. It’s an optional accessory offered by Toyota Canada for a few select models. It is not a standard feature but can be added as an upcharge at the dealership. This integrated dash cam records video automatically when it detects an accident (has a decent G-Sensor) and can record for up to an hour when the vehicle is parked.
Integrated vs Aftermarket Dash Cams
Built-in dash cams offer various advantages over an aftermarket dash cam, but also have a ton of disadvantages. They reduce clutter and the inconvenience of wires, but require specialists to fix if the cameras start to malfunction.
They’re tied directly to the vehicle’s power so they don’t have motion detection in parking mode. On that same note, built-in cameras also eliminate some battery danger associated with standalone dash cameras.
One of the biggest reasons are the dash cam legal concerns that large car companies have, particularly relating to privacy laws. Data privacy within big corporate tech companies is a legitimate concern for the public, especially because these devices collect more data than just video – dash cams record sound too. Not to mention, by the time a new car model integrated with a dash cam hits the market, the video resolution and other tech could already be outdated compared to aftermarket dash cams.
In-built cameras are integrated into the vehicle’s system, so they don’t require external wiring like aftermarket dash cams. They are designed to enhance the vehicle’s aesthetic appeal while providing valuable video recording functionality. It’s fairly easy to hide dash cam wires though so this isn’t a huge positive.
The recording functionality of car cameras depends on the specific model and its features. Some dash cams are designed to record continuously while the vehicle is being used, while others only record when they detect a collision. Certain car cameras even have parking mode where they continue to record for a set period after the vehicle is turned off. We have an entire article dedicated to helping you tell if your dash cam is recording, check it out to learn more.
Important Things to Consider
Most built-in dash cams store video footage onto an SD card. This feature allows for easy transfer and storage of video data, which can be useful when needing to present the footage as evidence.
The options available in the market are diverse, from cars that include interior camera or rear-facing cameras, as well as those equipped with both front and rear cameras. Camera positioning differences give a comprehensive view of your vehicle’s surroundings. You can read more about a great example of this in my latest Rove R2-4K dash cam review, not to mention how affordable it is.
The magic lies in the other tech these vehicles have. When your car detects an incident, the dash cam automatically starts recording, ensuring you don’t miss footage to understand what happened. Internal cameras also play a role in supporting semi-autonomous or autonomous driving features, contributing to a broader pool of vehicle data.
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