Camera Technology

Not so long ago, drivers had only the view provided by the auto’s windows, as well as their own judgment, to drive their vehicles. However, no matter how experienced and skilled a driver was, there was always the risk to misjudge the distance between the car and curb while parking or not to notice other auto’s maneuver on the road, especially when it was in the blind zone. All these led to numerous accidents in which no one could prove whose fault it was.

The good news is that if you own a 2017 Dodge Challenger or newer model, it is already equipped with a rear back-up camera, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and a number of other safety technologies which help to protect you and your passengers. (Note: On March 31, 2014, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that all automobiles sold in the United States built beginning in May 2018 must include back-up cameras).


Rear spoiler mounted camera

However, if your Challenger is older and has no back-up/dash camera, thanks to technological progress, you can easily upgrade your car if desired. There are many suppliers. Here are a few: F800, VAVA, GoPro, Thinkware, Apeman, Rove R-2-4K, ACCELE, Audiopipe, BLACKVUE, BOYO, Buyers Prodicts, Dorman, ACCENT MOBILE, Beat-Sonic, BOSS Audio Systems, BRAND MOTION, Crown and DS18.


Dashboard Camera

A dashboard camera, or simply a dashcam, is also known as car digital video recorder (car DVR), driving recorder, or event data recorder (EDR). It is an onboard camera that continuously records the view through a vehicle's front windshield and sometimes rear or other windows.



There are two types of cameras, by targeted field of view:

· Exterior view, for recording the front view only, the back view, etc.

· Cabin or inside viewing mode sometimes also called a taxicam and Uber/Lyft cam.

To ensure that recorded video files are not tampered with once they have been recorded, videos can be timestamped in a tamper-proof manner. To ensure a reliable 27/7 parking surveillance when capacity is an issue, a motion detector may be used to record only when an approaching human/vehicle is detected, in order to save power and storage media.

Some dashcams include a camera to record the interior of the car in 360 degrees . This is usually in a ball form and can automatically send pictures and video using 4G.

EDRs and some dashcams also record acceleration/deceleration g-force, speed, steering angle, GPS data, etc.

A wide-angle 130-170° or more front camera may be attached to the interior windshield, to the rear-view mirror (clip on), or to the top of the dashboard by suction cup or adhesive-tape mount. A rear camera is usually mounted in the rear window or in the spoiler with an RCA video output to the display monitor/screen.

The resolution will determine the overall quality of the video. Full HD or 1080p (1920×1080) is standard for dash HD cams. Dash cameras may have 1080p, 1296p, 1440p or higher definition for a front camera and 720p for a back camera and include f/1.8 aperature and night vision mode.

Dashcams can provide useful video evidence in the event of a road accident. When parked, dashcams can capture video and picture evidence and send it to the vehicle’s owner if vandalism or attempted theft is detected. It also provides evidence of parking attendant abuse. As an example, watch this video of an attendant at Universal Studios attempting to aggressively drive a Hellcat while in black key mode:

https://www.legendaryspeed.com/dodge-challenger-hellcat-valet-mode-angers-parking-attendant/


Other dashcam features may include advanced driver assistance system ADAS and park location, a G-sensor to make separate recordings, an integrated radar detector, touch screens, GPS coordinate stamping, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G connectivity.

Police departments use dashcams in police vehicles to gather evidence during traffic stops and car chases. Some dashcam systems can be automatically activated when a police car's emergency lights or siren are turned on.


Back-up Camera

A back-up camera (also called a reversing camera or rear-view camera) is a special type of video camera that is produced specifically for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up, and to alleviate the rear blind spot. In sports cars, it is usually installed in the center of the rear spoiler. On other cars, it is installed in the license plate area. It is specifically designed to avoid a backing-up collision. The area directly behind vehicles has been described as a "killing zone" due to associated accidents. Back-up cameras are usually connected to the vehicle head unit display.



The first back-up camera was used in the 1956 Buick Centurion concept car, presented in January 1956 at the General Motors Motorama. The vehicle had a rear-mounted television camera that sent images to a TV screen in the dashboard in place of the rear-view mirror. Later the 1972 Volvo Experimental Safety Car (VESC) had a back-up camera. However, the camera element did not make it into the following Volvo 240 model.

The first production automobile to incorporate a back-up camera was the 1991 Toyota Soarer Limited, which was only available in Japan and not on its U.S. counterpart, the Lexus SC. The Toyota system used a color EMV screen, with a rear-spoiler-mounted CCD camera. The system was discontinued in 1997. In April 2000, Nissan's Infiniti luxury division introduced the RearView Monitor on the 2002 Q45 flagship sedan at the 2000 New York International Auto Show. Introducing colored onscreen guide lines as a parking distance parameter, the RearView Monitor operated from a license-plate-mounted camera in the trunk that transmitted a mirrored image to an in-dash (7-inch) LCD screen. It was available as optional equipment upon North American market launch in March 2001.[The 2002 Nissan Primera introduced the RearView Monitor back-up camera system to territories outside Japan and North America.

The design of a back-up camera is distinct from other cameras in that the image is horizontally flipped so that the output is a mirror image. This is necessary because the camera and the driver face opposite directions, and without it, the camera's right would be on the driver's left and vice versa. A mirrored image makes the orientation of the display consistent with the physical mirrors installed on the vehicle. A back-up camera typically sports a wide-angle or fisheye lens. While such a lens spoils the camera's ability to see faraway objects, it allows the camera to see an uninterrupted horizontal path from one rear corner to the other. The camera is typically pointed on a downward angle, to view potential obstacles on the ground as well as the position of approaching walls and docks, rather than straight back.



Fisheye Camera Image

Inside the vehicle, the display is typically wired to automatically sense when the transmission is set in reverse, showing the back-up view and or providing grid guidelines by detecting the parking lot markings to aid the driver. The display will show the map (or other content) on the screen at all other times typically in other gear modes in most parking systems.

Back-up cameras are produced in different varieties depending on the application.

· Back-up or Reversing Cameras can be added as aftermarket additions to older vehicles built before 2018 that do not come with factory-fitted systems. They are available in both wired and wireless versions.

· For large vehicles such as motor homes, camera systems with built-in servo-mechanisms allow the driver to remotely pan and tilt the camera.

· Wireless back-up cameras come with a wireless camera and receiver, which make it easier and cheaper to install them.

· Built-in audio intercoms (one-way or two-way) are used in addition to the camera system for communicating with a spotter outside the vehicle- common when backing large trailers or launching boats.

· Night vision cameras use a series of infrared lights for backing in the dark, when the positioning or the intensity of the vehicle's white reverse lights are insufficient for this purpose.

· Custom cameras: brake light cameras are combination devices that contain a camera, while still illuminating as a brake light. Some back-up cameras also use a combination of LEDs surrounding the camera lens to illuminate the surroundings while in use.


Around View Monitor

Other types of camera systems can give a more comprehensive view.

Nissan was the first manufacturer to provide a "Around View Monitor." This occurred on the 2008 Infiniti EX35, which used four cameras to give a "bird's eye view" of the vehicle. BMW introduced their competing system called Surround View in 2009 on theF10 5 Series. Other automobile manufacturers have since offered similar systems.




Blind Spot Monitors

Blind spot monitors are another great safety option that may include more than monitoring the sides of the vehicle. It can include "Cross Traffic Alert", "which alerts drivers backing out of a parking space when traffic is approaching from the sides."




Side Mirror

The first side mirror camera was offered in October 2018, on the Japanese market Lexus ES.