Did you know, that the FBI reports that $7.4 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2020? This figure should be enough to highlight the seriousness of this problem. Vehicle theft results in crores of damage every year. Thankfully though, with technology at an all-time boom, an insightful solution; Dashcam Parking Mode, can be implemented to curb vehicle theft.
Now that we know the problem, let’s deep dive into the solution – what it is, how it works, and how you can make the most out of it.
Dashcam Parking Mode is just an extended dashcam feature that continues recording even when your vehicle’s engine is off and parked. Conventionally dashcams are used to record driving footage and only premium dashcams offer a parking mode option. Dashcam parking mode is ideal for 24×7 protection of your vehicle. It can prove to be useful in several situations, including but not limited to:
- When your vehicle is involved in a hit-and-run while it is parked,
- When you need to contest an unfair parking ticket,
- When your car is vandalized.
How does a Dashcam Parking Mode work?
A dashcam parking mode is designed to go to sleep when your vehicle is parked. The dashcam is aware of motion but is not recording anything on the memory card yet. This helps save power and minimize unnecessary recording.
A true parking surveillance mode is when a dashcam can detect when the vehicle is parked. Switching from normal recording mode to parking mode should be automatic, without manual intervention. Some dashcams detect a voltage drop, others rely on their built-in G-sensor to detect inactivity.
When is parking mode activated in a Dashcam?
A dashcam parking mode is enabled via motion or bump activation depending on the camera type. Motion-activated ones can be slightly more reliable than shock-activated ones as they are more likely to record pre- and post-incident events. Impact-activated dashcams have a lesser chance of recording events leading up to and following an impact.
What are the different types of parking modes a Dashcam has?
Though the parking mode on various devices function on the same basic principle, the video type, and quality largely differ based on the different types of parking modes. These are:
- Time-Lapse
In this mode, the camera clicks a picture every second so you can watch it later. This mode can also switch to normal mode in case an impact is detected by the camera. This mode is ideal when your SD card has memory constraints, you need to have a quick overview, or if your vehicle is parked in a busy area.
- Radar Motion Detection
Instead of a continuous recording, the radar motion detection mode uses an extremely high frequency to carry out a buffered recording. Since the recording is not continuous, the power consumption is reduced to 1/3rd of the normal and you can record for 3 times longer durations. This mode is particularly useful when your vehicle is parked for extended periods.
- Motion & Impact Detection
This mode is the most energy-efficient as it only begins recording when an impact is detected. This is the most basic mode and does not provide the utmost safety as the camera takes time to get activated upon impact. In the lag time between impact and recording, whatever caused the impact can run away.
What is the use of dashcam parking mode in –
A parking guard dashcam is useful for both private and fleet vehicles but in different situations. Let’s have a look at them separately:
Private vehicles
- When your vehicle is involved in a hit-and-run while it is parked,
- When you need to contest an unfair parking ticket,
- When your car is vandalized.
Fleet vehicles
- When your cargo is stolen while your vehicle is parked
- When you need to contest an unfair parking violation
- When your fuel is stolen
- When your vehicle has been tampered with
FAQ
How to protect vehicle battery drainage while the parking mode is on?
The main reason why you should not be concerned about battery drainage while your dashcam parking mode is that dashcams use very little energy.
Another reason is that most dashcams advanced enough to have a parking mode, come with a feature called low-voltage cutoff, which is specifically designed to prevent battery drainage in parking mode.
What factors affect the recording of parking mode?
The recording of a dashcam parking mode footage is affected by the following factors:
- The type of dashcam you are using
- The type of mode you have selected
- Environmental factors (Daylight, Rain, Hail, Dust)
- Where you have parked your vehicle
Can you deactivate parking mode?
Yes, you can deactivate the parking mode from the camera settings of your dashcam.
Which parking mode is the best?
The best parking mode for your dashcam can vary according to your individual needs. However, the most efficient one can be time-lapse since it can auto switch between modes as per requirement.
What is parking wake in a dashcam?
Parking wake is when the dashcam is pulled out of the parking mode and normal dashcam recording is resumed.