[RahulNagaraj]

According to a media report, Google is working on a new feature for its Pixel smartphones, which essentially turns the smartphone into a dashcam.

The new pre-release feature is simply called "Dashcam" and does exactly what it says. Users can set up their phones on the dashboard, which then records video (audio optional) while driving. This eliminates the need for drivers to purchase dedicated dashcam hardware for their cars.



The new feature is said to be part of Google's Personal Safety App, which is offered on the Pixel and a handful of other Android devices and offers other functions like Emergency Sharing, Safety Checks and Car Crash Detection. The Dashcam will be part of the safety app and was discovered while "dogfooding"; that is when a developer takes the app home to test it in the real world.

Reports also state that the feature is more than just pressing the record button, with Google integrating a number of clever tricks into it. The dashcam function can be set up to start recording automatically when connected via Bluetooth to the car's infotainment system and stops recording when disconnected.

Further, the videos are compressed to save storage space. Google claims the app can record 24 hours of footage, taking up 30MB of storage per minute. All videos will also be automatically deleted after 3-days unless you save them.

To save battery, the dashcam feature can work irrespective of whether the screen is on or off. The feature also allows users to simultaneously record videos and use the phone's navigation or a few other features.

As per reports, the Dashcam feature will be introduced in Pixel smartphones next month.

Source: 9to5google

Link to Team-BHP news

[rajeevyes]

I still feel nothing beats the utility of a dedicated dashcam built for its dedicated purpose. Smartphones were able to replace many things like GPS units, digital cameras, MP3 players etc. Now have to see how this dashcam feature in phone pans out. Just in time when I was looking for a dashcam for my car and replace my current 5 yr old Android phone as well.

[raptor_diwan]

I'm not sure how this feature is different from opening the camera and recording directly.

I have previously attempted using other mobile phones as dashcams, but encountered significant issues such as device overheating, resulting in premature battery failure, deteriorating performance over time, and even unexpected shutdowns due to excessive heat, as well as battery drainage during recording.

[ComboCutter]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

I'm not sure how this feature is different from opening the camera and recording directly.

I have previously attempted using other mobile phones as dashcams, but encountered significant issues such as device overheating, resulting in premature battery failure, deteriorating performance over time, and even unexpected shutdowns due to excessive heat, as well as battery drainage during recording.

This is a welcome move from Google.

What's different from the camera app here is that it may record in 1080p or 720p to avoid overheating. Also camera app does heavy post processing which would be reduced here as it is not needed that much, further reducing CPU load. Crash detection is another feature which we don't get with the camera app. Further we can use the phone while the dashcam is running (camera app interrupts recording when call is connected; not advocating using the phone while driving)

I hope Google doesn't do this under a subscription model that is does with its nest cameras.

Samsung and other Android OEMs should follow pursuit soon (as they did with using phones as webcams)

[PreludeSH]

If you are using your phone for streaming audio and GNSS and then add this, it will be too much of drain on the phone. What next ? use the camera also to support AI and instruct your car on a standard BUS to control it ? What about privacy ? could someone else control the videos you record ?

Would be un-necessary use of smartphone resources. Unless you are driving a newer car where you need this, not useful for ones own car where we can setup a custom dashcam.

[irdevanand]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

According to a media report, Google is working on a new feature for its Pixel smartphones, which essentially turns the smartphone into a dashcam.

Ten years ago, I embarked on an experiment using an iPhone. However, during my 45-minute journey from home to DLF IT Park in Chennai, the device overheated and abruptly shut down, accompanied by an "Iphone needs to cool down" message.



The application I employed was quite remarkable, providing me with comprehensive details about the route, such as elevation and traffic conditions. Nevertheless, I'm unsure whether the app itself was responsible for the overheating or if the hardware simply couldn't handle such intense usage.

Since then, a decade has passed, and hardware technology has advanced significantly. Despite these improvements, I still retain doubts about whether today's hardware can sustain continuous recording for an entire 24-hour period. My skepticism regarding this possibility remains substantial.

Regards
Dev

[G V Krishna]

Based on my similar experiments a decade back, this is either going to be a dead-on-arrival feature or a very expensive device (expensive thermal management).

As other members have already highlighted, when I was using my Blackberry, later Android phones with different apps (even paid apps) they always over heated and I many times was afraid that they'll explode. The engineer in me also designed a phone holder which ensures that the AC blower directly cools the phone but albeit the heating problem was always there and it was more prevalent when the video was HD/Full HD. And then there were vibrations as well. Memory/storage issue used to crop up and would interfere with regular & intended usage of phone.

Basically it was a disaster and even hindered the calling/streaming features of the mobile phone. Wish Google approached me before green lighting this feature. I can write a scholarly paper on this and get it published in IEEE. I should have done it actually


Edit: Forgot to mention that the phone must be continuously connected to charger as video recording is a power intensive application. Also, even a decade ago the apps I used had all the software gimmicks that Google is claiming now.

Sometimes, somethings should be left as it is...If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It.

[Turbanator]

Not sure if the guys who experimented with phone had display "on" all the time? Yes, connecting a charger cable might be a necessity but am sure with some tweaks in software can let the camera record everything or need based on the SD card. We also know yet, if there are any additional changes in hardware.

I will wait a bit more and see what happens in real life.

[NiInJa]

I've tried an app called 'Third eye' which allows recording in the background, even with the screen off to avoid distractions. The only problem is the phone heating up unless it has a steady stream of cool air blowing over it. The only problem of this setup was the hassle starting the app manually everytime, then stopping the recording and deleting videos manually then restarting the process every two hours (on long journeys) as my phone's memory was limited. I still feel the clarity was good enough compared to the cheap dashcams and it worked well for city runs.

If google dashcam has crash detection, loop recording and optimal processing to reduce heating of the phone, I think it will be a good alternative to dedicated dashcams.

[mpksuhas]

Google for all its successes, also has a bunch failures too (understandable).

This I feel is going to be something like that, a feature which they will release with lot of fanfare, then try to rename after couple of years to get more traction and later kill it silently.

There were apps available for Android which one can install in their phone and use as dashcam. Almost same as camera app, just that some features were available additionally - select video length, so that it recorders in short 1/2/3 min videos. Capture GPS log, speed etc.

I had tried using it in an old phone of mine few years back, only to find the mobile heating up and hanging after sometime.

Any mobile, if kept on video recording for longer period is going to heat up and cause it to switch off, so unless Google is capturing video in some certain scenarios, this is not going to be a replacement for dashcam in any way.

[Chetan_Rao]

Camera & GPS, there isn't a phone in the world that can run those two modules at a stretch (under direct sun, no less) without hitting thermal limitations and shutting down.

[CzechItaliaMoto]

While this might be a really good idea, it still only acts as a very basic, primitive dashcam. Most of the people that might be up for using this or even trying it rather would only enable this while they're inside the car, and driving in traffic. This is a very short period of time for daily commuters, and only helps if there are incidents/accidents.

Coming to the Pixel, I use one as a daily driver, one thing that I have noticed is you cannot take videos in 1080p for longer than 20 minutes, after which the phone would abruptly cut off due to overheating.

Another drawback from this whole idea is that it is missing out on one of the dash cam's main features- parking mode. We cannot just leave our phones in the car and let them record the whole time! If anything happens, I'm sure the offender would really be tempted to see a phone on the dash, and will attempt to steal it

Dash cams have come a long way, have a lot of features that phones do not have, and it is very much possible to find a very decent one for just under 10k, it wouldn’t be too much to spend considering how much is at stake here.

[anandmv]

A bulb must have gone off over someone's head at Google self drive project while they were pondering over the question - how do we gain acess to real time driving info from driver's perspective?

[dicor]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

I'm not sure how this feature is different from opening the camera and recording directly.

Dashcams do overwrite previous records. A phone camera keeps stuffing the memory.

Dashcams can see though, in pitch-dark conditions, not all camera phones can do.

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

I have previously attempted using other mobile phones as dashcams, but encountered significant issues such as device overheating, resulting in premature battery failure, deteriorating performance over time, and even unexpected shutdowns due to excessive heat, as well as battery drainage during recording.

+1, I also did use my Micromax A16 HD and iPhone 5 as dashcam in the past. The results were good but the phone overheated because

• The phone keeps running.
• The last nail in the coffin is that it's exposed to direct sunlight all the time.

In short, I would always refrain from using my phone as a dashcam.

[Sach_511]

No idea why all bashing going on, they are Google and if they are thinking to implement it, they obviously thought about temperature and night mode etc. let just wait and watch what novel way they have found out.

Also, I have used Apple 6 as dash cam and never face heating issue or memory issue, since free Apps are available on store which does provide exactly same feature as dash cam, like memory overwriting, clicking photos on jerk, speed markup on videos etc., the only problem is hassle of taking it out every time you park your car and putting it again.