Dashcams are becoming more and more common as cars are leaving the driving to technology. Still, if you are not familiar with them, it is just a video camera installed either in your windshield or rear glass of your car that records everything happening on the road.
The primary use of dashcams is for safety, so as a driver, you can prove what happened if someone else causes an accident or file a report against the other driver. In this article, we will be discussing the two main features of dashcams. One is a parking monitor, and the other is motion detection.
Parking Monitor and Motion Detection in a Dash Cam
Motion Detection:
This feature is helpful when you want your car to record any incidents that happen while you are away from your vehicle. Using this feature will require a dashcam with G-sensor to detect sudden acceleration and comes with the parking guard mode.
The parking guard mode will only start recording when it senses motion in front of the vehicle. This means that when you are not driving your car, the dashcam is not recording, but as soon as there’s a movement in front of your vehicle, it will start recording again.
This feature is great if you are looking for extra protection for your car while you’re away from it. It won’t stop people from damaging your vehicle in any way, but at least you’ll have some footage while someone else did it.
Parking Monitor (P Mode):
The parking monitor is best for people who don’t want their car to be damaged while it’s parked. The camera will start recording when the engine is turned off. The advantage of this feature is that it will allow you to record any incident that happens to your vehicle while you’re gone and keep some space on your memory card for other purposes.
This is also useful for people who want to install license plate lights but don’t have the resources right away. This feature will allow you to continue using your dashcam independently of the license plate lights.
The disadvantage of the parking monitor (P mode) is that it doesn’t record while the engine is turned on, and therefore, it won’t be able to capture anything that happens while a vehicle is parked.
Uses of a Parking Monitor:
This consists of two functions, one for shifting into reverse and another to lock the car’s doors when you pull your car into a parking space. You can set up either function on your dashcam either manually or automatically.
Types of Parking Modes:
If you are looking for a motion sensor dash cam that has a parking monitor, there are two types of parking modes:
P Mode (Parking Mode)
This mode is suitable for people who have license plate lights installed on their cars. It keeps recording once your car stops, even if you continue to move around. The best thing about it is that you can set up the camera to start recording when the engine is started automatically. If someone runs into your vehicle and damages it, you’ll have another proof of what happened.
Parking Guard
This mode prevents the car from recording while it’s in reverse, though your car’s doors will still lock. The camera will be used to record only when you’re in a park. This can keep your memory card free and protected from overwriting data while you are constantly switching on and off your car. It’s best suited for people who will give their cars to valets for parking as it will prevent any mishap due to valet abuse.
The minimum duration of this mode is 30 seconds. The advantage of this feature is that it will allow you to keep enough space on your memory card for recording and still have your car start recording when you turn the engine on again.
Motion Detection:
Motion detection is when your car’s dashcam will start recording when its sensor detects motion in front of your vehicle. Most dash cams will have a G-sensor, which means the camera will react to sudden accelerations and movements. Dashcams with this feature are best suited for people who want to monitor what’s happening around the car while they are away from it.
Uses of Motion Detection
Always On
This mode will allow your camera to record all the time while your engine is on, which could be a huge waste of memory card space if you’re going to keep it running for a long time.
Parking Guard (Motion Triggered)
The parking guard mode will start recording only when it senses motion in front of the vehicle. This feature can save you memory card space and battery power as the camera will only start when there’s movement.
What Dashcam Has These Two Functions?
If you’re looking for a dashcam with both these functions, you should check out Thinkware F770. The dashcam comes with a parking guard mode as well as motion detection.
Other Dashcam Models that offer both features:
Vantrue n2 Pro
The Vantrue N2 Pro is a premium dashcam that features a built-in parking monitor and motion detection. With its 1080p wide-angle lens, this camera captures quality footage in any light situation. The parking monitor feature will detect movement from 10-feet away, which is perfect for protecting your vehicle while you shop or run errands.
Blackvue Dr750s-2ch
Blackvue provides an industry-standard with its high-quality cameras, and the DR750S-2 channel dashcam is no exception. This camera features a front and rear wide-angle lens that captures enough footage to see everything that happens around your vehicle when it is parked or in motion.
Street Guardian Sg9665gc
The Street Guardian is a high-end dash camera that offers exceptional image quality with its 1440p Sony Exmor CMOS sensor. This camera features a proprietary Ambarella A7LA50 chip, which is ideal for reducing the rolling shutter effect. The Street Guardian also has WiFi capabilities and can easily be set up with any vehicle’s OBD 2 port.
Blacksys CH-100b
The BlackSys CH-100B is an affordable camera that will still capture quality footage in any lighting situation. This camera features a built-in motion detector and parking monitor to protect your vehicle while you are away. This model features a wedge mount which means it can be easily hidden behind your rear-view mirror.
Vantrue N2
The Vantrue N2 provides great value to the consumer with its hardy construction and exceptional video quality. This camera features an advanced HDR during the day with an impressive 170-degree wide-angle lens. The Vantrue camera also has a parking monitor and motion detection, which will ensure your vehicle is properly secured while you are away.
Blackvue Dr500gw-Hd
The Blackvue DR500GW-HD features a very high-quality camera capable of recording 1080p video at 60 frames per second. This camera is also Wi-Fi-enabled which allows you to access your footage on your smartphone or tablet. With its IP67 waterproof rating, the Blackvue DR500GW-HD can withstand almost anything Mother Nature throws at it.
Conclusion:
The main purpose of both parking monitor and motion detection features is to provide security for your vehicle. If a dashcam has a parking monitor, it will record everything that happens around your car, and if it has a motion sensor with a detection feature, it will sense any movement in front of your car and start recording. Of course, the choice is up to you to determine which one works better for you based on how you use the camera.
FAQs:
Q: Should I Use a Dash Cam Always?
A: Absolutely. The best thing about having a dashcam is that it will help you protect your car from being damaged while not driving it. If you don’t want to use a dashcam, install one on your vehicle if you have a parking brake because some people believe that thieves would be able to open your doors and steal your car if you don’t have any protection on it.
Q: Do I Have to Install the Camera on My Windshield?
A: No. Many people ask this question because they think dashcams are only attached to the windshield, but that’s not necessarily true. There are a lot of DVRs that can be mounted anywhere in your car and still provide quality footage.
Q: What Kind of Memory Card Should I Use?
A: Most dashcams come with built-in memory cards, but if you want to add additional storage, it would be better to use an SD card as it’s the most common and durable card. You should also consider buying a fast memory card as older models won’t record in high resolutions like HD or 2K.
Q: How Long Should I Record?
A: It depends. You can set it to record as long as you want, but experts recommend leaving your dashcam recording if you have an accident and need it for insurance purposes. Most manufacturers recommend recording it for at least 10-15 minutes after you shut off your car. This way, you’ll have adequate footage in case something happens while you’re parked on the side of the road.