It is a piece of equipment that is found more and more behind the windshields of cars or on the handlebars of two-wheeled vehicles. Dashcams, these small on-board cameras, are being used more and more in France.
Eyes that constantly film the road: a couple who passed near the accident caused last Friday by Pierre Palmade were able to provide a video to the police. Video that could identify the two people who were in the comedian’s vehicle, two people still wanted on Tuesday.
• How does a dashcam work?
An on-board camera, or “dashcam”, can be installed in the front of the vehicle (from bicycles to trucks, including motorcycles and cars).
In a car, it is recommended to install it preferably in a part of the windshield that does not hinder visibility, to the right of the interior mirror for example. Most of the time the power supply is via the 12V cigarette lighter socket.
It is possible to couple this main camera with others, which can film inside the passenger compartment or through the rear window of the vehicle.
The module(s) will record sequences of one, two or three minutes (configurable duration on the camera), in a continuous loop: that is, the new videos delete the previous ones, except in the case of the backup, with a button that Allows you to maintain a sequence. Dashcams are also equipped with a gyro sensor that can also freeze files in a separate folder, in case of suspicious vehicle movement, for example.
These videos are then generally stored on an SD card, with a quantity of content that logically varies depending on the capacity of the medium and the definition of the images chosen.
• What budget to equip?
It costs at least 75 euros for an entry-level model and around 140 euros for a model that can be connected to the smartphone. High-end models, capable of filming in 4K with image stabilization, can exceed $300.
Garages also offer installation. Interesting if you don’t want to take the time to do a clean install, especially with a front-to-rear dual camera that requires running cables through the cab. Norauto, for example, offers this service for 69 euros.
• What interest?
There remains the idea of insuring your trips and being able to have videos in case of an accident (or a nice memory of a beautiful car that crossed your path).
It is above all this issue of liability in the event of an accident that motivates the purchase. Pascal Chevalier from Nextbase thus highlights “the preservation of the capital invested in the car” and “a plus for the insurer in terms of understanding: in the event of an accident, even a 50/50 qualified non-responsible person, a penalty and may be imposed a franchise to the driver as additional expenses”.
“In France, this does not replace a friendly report, you can legally rely on these images if necessary, but it is not certain that they will be kept as an asset in your archive”, however specifies Alexandra Legendre, takes -word of the League of Drivers.
In serious accidents, “it is up to the judge to define whether or not to exploit these videos, for or against,” says Pascal Chevalier. Clearly, courts can use the dashcam and the stored content.
• Filming the road, is it really legal?
In France and in most European countries, the use of a camera on board is legal.
“With the exception of Luxembourg and Austria (sale and purchase possible but use prohibited), dashcams are authorized throughout Europe,” Pascal Chevalier, sales manager at Nextbase, the market leader in Europe, recently confirmed.
The dissemination of these images, however, requires some precautions, such as the blurring of plates and faces, in relation to the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Source: BFM TV
