Garmin has come up with a new high-definition dash cam that can automatically sense when an incident has occurred, and save footage of that incident. The new camera is available in two models, the Garmin Dash Cam 10, which doesn't come with GPS, and the Garmin Dash Cam 20, which does come with a GPS unit.
The new units record video from the moment the vehicle's engine is switched on, to the moment it's shut down, and G sensors in the camera can detect when an incident such as heavy braking has occurred. Upon detection of those sorts of incidents, the relevant video is saved to a file, along with footage leading up to and following the incident. The model with the GPS capability also adds a timestamp and the geographical location to the footage, including latitude, longitude, speed, and direction of travel.
National Sales Manager for Garmin Australasia, Ian Edwards, said in a statement that the Dash Cam "is fully automated and gives drivers peace of mind knowing any events that might occur will be captured".
Video quality is high, with both Dash Cam units capable of recording at 1080p or 720p continuously in a loop on a microSD card. The units support microSD cards with a capacity up to 32GB. Audio from inside the car is recorded as well, via a microphone built in to the Dash Cam. Footage from the Dash Cam can be viewed directly on the unit, via a 2.3in colour display.
The Dash Cam 10 and Dash Cam 20 will both be available to purchase from March, but pricing hasn't yet been announced.
