A modern dash cam is a phenomenal tool for capturing incidents on the road, with high quality camera technology now able to snare crisp, 4K footage in low light and poor weather conditions.
Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety at Nextbase, explained to us that: "Dash cam footage provides independent, unbiased evidence that can support a driver's version of events. It’s especially valuable when there are no witnesses or when accounts differ”.
In essence, they are a fantastic way of protecting the modern motorist in the event of an accident, road rage or simply providing evidence in a complicated insurance claim.
One of the common questions surrounding dash cams is whether or not they record sound. We asked Henry Peng, R&D Director at Vantrue dash cams and the answer was a fairly resounding “yes”.
“Most modern dash cams record audio of some description, but the quality varies across models. In most products, audio can be turned on or off in the settings menu,” he adds.
Why do dash cams record audio?
In a similar way that dash cams provide an excellent form of visual proof for the courts or an ongoing police or insurance investigation, adding sound to the mix builds an extra layer into that evidence.
Henry Peng from Vantrue says that audio is important because it can help clarify accidents or incidents, adding the soundtrack might bring additional evidence that a camera has failed to capture, for example.
"If an accident occurs or you are stopped by the police, recording the conversation, voices or even background sounds can provide supporting evidence," he says.
"What’s more, sometimes video evidence alone isn’t conclusive and audio can serve as additional proof in legal and insurance cases," he adds.
What sort of sounds does a dash cam capture?
Most dash cams feature a small, built-in microphone that can capture any conversations that are happening in the cabin, but they will also pick up external noises.
"Some high-end dash cams, such as a number of models from Vantrue, reduce wind and engine noise, making voices clearer inside the cabin.
"This is really important for professional drivers, like those running a taxi, Uber of Lyft ride, as it can be used as evidence should an incident occur inside the vehicle," explains Henry Peng.
Where most dash cams are optimized to record internal audio, with software used to drown out excess external wind or traffic noise, they will typically pick up more extreme events, such as the sound of screeching tires or blaring horns.
What are the problems with recording audio?
It is good practice to get educated on local privacy laws, as it can be considered illegal to capture in-cabin audio without the consent of everyone onboard.
Lots of dash cam models will offer a shortcut button for quick muting of audio capture for this exact reason — a feature that many professional drivers and taxi operators look out for in those cameras that also record in-cabin video.
"Some dash cam users worry about the impact audio has in internal storage, but audio files are typically very small compared to video, so recording sound won’t noticeably shorten storage time in most cases," says Henry Peng.
"People sometimes overlook audio, but it makes a dash cam record complete. It’s not just about seeing the incident, but fully understanding it," he adds.
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