Dashcams have become an increasingly popular accessory for cars in recent years. These small cameras, mounted on the dashboard or windshield of a vehicle, record video and audio of the road ahead, providing a valuable source of evidence in the event of an accident. But where did dashcams come from? Let's take a look at the history of dashcams.
Pictured here is our Eagle dashcam. Click here to learn more about it.
The first dashcams were introduced in the 1980s in the form of bulky, analog devices that were expensive and not widely adopted. These early dashcams were primarily used by law enforcement agencies and professional drivers to capture evidence in the event of accidents or other incidents on the road.
In the early 2000s, as digital technology became more widespread, dashcams became smaller, cheaper, and more widely available. The first consumer-grade dashcams were introduced in Korea, where they quickly became popular among drivers concerned about insurance fraud and police corruption. In Russia, where insurance fraud and corrupt police officers were also common, dashcams became popular for similar reasons.
The meteor over Chelyabinsk captured on a dash cam.
In 2013, a meteor exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, injuring over 1,000 people. The event was captured on dashcam footage from hundreds of drivers, which was widely shared online and became a viral sensation. This event helped to popularize dashcams around the world, as people began to see their potential for capturing unexpected and dramatic events.
In recent years, dashcams have become increasingly sophisticated, with features such as automatic accident detection and recording, GPS tracking, and cloud storage. They are now widely used by professional drivers, such as truckers and taxi drivers, as well as by regular motorists who want to protect themselves in case of accidents or other incidents on the road.
Dashcams have also been used to capture footage of police brutality and other forms of misconduct, leading to increased accountability and transparency. In some countries, such as Russia and Taiwan, dashcams are so popular that they are required by law.
The history of dashcams shows how they have evolved from bulky, expensive devices used primarily by law enforcement and professional drivers to small, affordable cameras that are widely used by motorists around the world. Dashcams provide valuable evidence in the event of accidents and other incidents on the road, and their increasing popularity is a testament to their effectiveness and utility.
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