Would you buy it ?

[TDK]

I posed this question in response to Sprucegooses recent hit & run. But its not fair to hijack his post so here it goes with some responses ...

Regarding "Hit & Runs":

There are commercial video/audio "flight recorders" that mount in front of the rear-view mirror and record the last few minutes including speed, braking etc on an "endless loop" chip. These devices are used by trucking companies, taxis etc, to exhonerate/incarcerate their drivers. So I was thinkin...

Why not have a 360-degee lens (or multi-cam input) into a device that records your vehicle's suroundings and actions. Obviously, it would be used in accident reconstruction and criminal charges in the case of hit and run - including parkling lot side swipes by other vehicles and "keying" by low-lifes. This is very feasible technology with off-the shelf parts.

The data could be secured on-board or even burst-tansmitted to a secure collection agency via 3g phones. All data or just dynamic-changed scenes along with compression.

Folks, any thoughts? How much would you pay for this option new or aftermarket ?

Responses:

gygmy Posted: May 1 2005, 06:35 PM:

TDK that is an intersesting idea about the camera/recorder thing. With the stuff that is out there now I do not see why that a system that you described could not be feasible. How about a continual recording of info that keeps resetting and then recording again that would be "fixed" by the input of info such as airbags deployed, security system activated etc. Sort of like the black box on an airliner but with digital cameras incorporated into it.

TDK: Exactly !

BuickLeSabre1960 Posted: May 1 2005, 07:27 PM:

I've thought about doing that except for a part of an alarm system

TDK: Right, but the application is much broader than just theft - when you think of it. A bit "big brother" and all but why not?

[acklac7]

Being the entrepreneurial type I also had thoughts about such a system. I theorized a multi-cam system with a cameras mounted in 6 areas: One in the rear, one in the front, and two inside each side mirror (one facing towards the front , the other facing backwards). Everything would be routed to a computer that would store a predetermined length of feed. After 48 hours it would copy over the previous data, unless a "save" command was issued...After alot of thought I figured that the market for this type of system would be slim. It would likely run $2000+.( that would include motion detection and a sleep mode...and cover all the costs of writing the software...could get expensive) And whom ever had the money for it would have c&c insurance, and would likely consider such a system useless...After all if anything happens to the car insurance is going to pay for it. Now if you could offer such a system for under $500 (with installation) it's a whole new ball game.

[Regis]

A few years ago I too had this same idea. At the time it involved using a CD writer in the trunk, 2 wide angle(180°) mini cameras mounted to the rear view mirror, and adjustable motion detector(s) to activate the cameras. Like the acklac7 suggested, the cost was rather high and the market possibly a bit too small. However, now that media cards (secure disk, flash,etc) are common place, cheap, use much less power, and large enough storage wise I see the possibilities opening again. Marketing a unit like this for collision only purposes would steer possible customers (at least the target market) away. I was thinking something along the lines of grocery store and mall parking lot nicks and dings. We've all had those as well as the feeling that you'd like to get even. Also a great way to tell who smashed the side window of your $2000 POS and stole your $4000 stereo. LOL I love those stories.

[BuickLeSabre1960]

Like you said I'd do it. I'm gonna check and see about what would be involved

[canadian95sts]

sonds like a good idea. I own a CCTV and security shop, and have seen a few systems like this already hit the market. Although these systems are mostly used by police forces, taxi's etc, in the last year or so there have been some more cost effective units hitting the market. The best that ive seen is a 12 volt DVR (digital Video Recorder) system that is mounted in the trunk inside a secure casing. Most of these systems only come in one channel (one camera), and run about $1000.00 plus the cost of the camera. Hopefully soon they will come out with a two or four chanel 12 Volt DVR.

[sprucegoose]

In light of my recent event, I am certainly considering this as a possibility. I have suffered numerous grocery-cart / door-dings That I would have loved to catch the act on camera! Especially if i had a newer high$ car like a new STS or XLR I would certainly look into this. Unfortunately these are way out of my league...

One thing, in my accident I don't now if a system with cameras would have caught the plate no. for example, unless the camera would have been on the pass side and captured it before the hit. Once my car was spinning, and where we would up, there was no way I could have caught the plate id...

On a similar note... I noticed on Mon. that the huge brick building (which obscured the intersection enough for me to never see this idiot coming) has security cameras mounted on the outside! I went in and talked to the management, but to my dismay heard "they aren't hooked up"!

I guess just having the decoys out there has helped them control the car theft and break-ins, as well as the gang-sign graffiti that has dominated the neighborhood lately...