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Blackbox Dash Cam Buying Guide

A blackbox dash cam automatically records your drive and protects incident clips. Choose by camera coverage, video detail, storage and parking-power needs.

A blackbox dash cam is an always-ready witness: it records in a loop, detects an impact and locks the relevant clip. The term also appears as blackbox dashcam and blackbox car camera, but the buying decision is the same: decide which views you need and how the camera will receive power.

Common questions

Questions before you buy

What is a blackbox dash cam?

It is an in-car camera that continuously records short video segments and can preserve a clip when its impact sensor detects an event.

Does a blackbox car camera record when the car is off?

Only if the model supports parking mode and has a compatible source of constant power, such as an approved hardwire or battery solution.

Does loop recording delete important footage?

Loop recording overwrites the oldest ordinary files when storage fills. Locked or event files are normally protected, but you should copy important footage promptly.

Is a front-and-rear blackbox dashcam worth choosing?

It can be useful when you want evidence of rear impacts or events behind the vehicle. It also requires more cable routing and storage bandwidth than a front-only camera.