November 27, 2009, 5:18 PM — Police cars have front-facing cameras to gather evidence during traffic stops. Airlines have black-box recording devices that gather data in the event of a crash. Public buses tend to have cameras trained on the inside of the vehicle for security and evidence gathering. But the new Car Cam Dually does it all.
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The $385 gadget mounts on your dash. Two camera record video forward, out the windshield, and backward into the cab. An internal GPS monitors data on the car, including speed, location and direction. A special sensor measures G-forces in case there's a crash.
The company that sells the device says it's "perfect for parents to monitor the driving habits of teenagers," although most teens might disagree. They also claim it's "excellent for employers to reduce liability when company vehicles are involved in accidents." And, of course it's an "awesome way to BEAT A SPEEDING TICKET!"
Unfortunately, the cameras are puny 1.3 megapixel jobs with low-quality optics. But the interior camera captures vide at night, thanks to four infrared LEDs that light up the cab only on the video.
All the sensor data is automatically logged. Video is stored on an SD card.
Thanks to the Red Ferret.
