How Much Does A Dash Cam Cost

Dash cams are special digital cameras installed in your car and record the road around you, providing video evidence of any incidents or unforeseen events. This is extremely important with insurance claims by helping the insurance company identify who’s at fault in an accident. However, the characteristics of a good dash cam can mean the difference between getting that crucial piece of video evidence and losing key footage.

A consumer dash camera for a vehicle could cost between $60 to $150, with some as little as $30. A higher-quality, professional-grade dash cam will cost anywhere between $80 and $500, depending on the number of advanced features included, such as night vision and motion detection.

In this article, we’ll answer your question, “how much does a dash cam cost?” in addition to the various factors that could affect it. 

Factors Affecting The Price Of Dash Cams

When it comes to weighing up the expenses of buying a dashcam, it pays to look at the specs, reviews, and other information of each car dashcam model. This would allow you to properly compare the devices and find out which is best for your vehicle.

Video Quality

High-definition video footage is available in four different resolutions: 720p, 1080p, 2K, and 4K. A resolution of 1080p should be sufficient for any automobile. However, when it comes to car insurance coverage claims, the greater resolution of a 2K or 4K camera could spell all the difference. 

Business dash cameras with superb video quality could also provide protection for insurance companies against wrongful claims and insurance fraud.

Front-Facing vs. Dual Facing

The most prevalent type of dash cam is a front-facing one. It features a single lens and is intended to capture images of the road in front of a car. A front-facing dash cam will always have a single lens and cost between $80 and $250.

A dual-facing dashboard car camera, on the other hand, has two lenses and can record both the road ahead and the inside of a vehicle at the same time. This model can cost a little more but is far more popular among drivers of consumer vehicles and trucks. Dual-facing models can cost as little as $100, but they typically come in between $200 and $400.

Installation

The method of mounting a dashcam may not cost you that much. Many dash cams can be mounted by hand and come with sticky pads or suction-cup-style attachments. Others can be plugged into the ODB-II port or cigarette lighter of a vehicle.

Field Of View

When looking for dash cameras, a driver should always consider the field of view a dash cam lens has, in addition to the number of lenses. The best coverage possible is a 360-degree field of view. However, this is a rare and exceptional feature for a consumer-grade dash cam. It is more common for a truck dash cam to have a wide-angle fish-eyes type of lens, which covers 170 to 360 degrees.

Functionality

Any quality dash cam will be able to record video footage. However, some cameras come with additional features, which could include the following:

• Motion sensors – they will trigger recording when anything interferes with the device’s microwave beam, even when your car is parked
• Night vision – lets your dashcam record clear video at night
• Parking monitor – can alert you of any rear obstacles when parking
• Shock sensors – also known as a g-sensor, which automatically saves video footage when dashcam sensors are shaken by a vehicle collision
• Internal accelerometer – senses a vehicle’s speed and rate of acceleration
• In-cab coaching – some interior dash cam products have built-in audio speakers that can alert drivers of relevant information and keep them focused when driving to avoid accidents
• Wide dynamic range – automatically tones down bright lighting and improves dark lighting for a better video image
• Continuous loop recording – allows the user to not have to manually delete thousands of video footage files
• Cloud storage – provides extra storage for video footage if the built-in microSD card does not have enough space

GPS Tracking

GPS data logging and location tracking are features included in some dash cam products, which embed GPS data into the video footage being captured. This allows viewers to match locations to timestamps and confirm the location of a car during any particular incident. This is extremely helpful in a car crash case and can often provide discounts on car insurance premiums.

Total Dash Cam Price Breakdown

There is no specific answer to “how much does a dash cam cost?” However, consumer dash cams typically cost between $60 and $150, but truck dash cams typically cost between $80 and $300, although they can cost more if advanced features are included. HD resolution, GPS tracking, night vision, and cloud storage are among the key features a dash camera should have.

If you are looking to ensure your personal safety without drawing too much attention, then check out this Security Forward article on colored and well-disguised police tasers.