Not too long ago, the black box concept has entered the automotive world. In this case, instead of taking down important figures such as altitude and speed, the vehicle black box records and stores video footages of the car's surroundings.

In-Car Camera and its advantages

Since its inception, vehicle black box has gone through a series of changes and improvements. Besides shrinking in physical size, improved video quality and allowing a longer period of recording, they also come with other features such as taking note of the recording location with the built-in GPS.

Many traffic users have recognised the importance of vehicle black boxes, or in-car camera systems. These gadgets may seem tiny, but they are capable of keeping in view what drivers see in their daily commute, and store these vital footages for later reference. We have seen how these footages play a vital role for people to understand how things occur in the event of an accident.

Not too long ago, the Traffic Police (TP) and General Insurance Association (GIA) have formed a working group to look into how in-car traffic cameras could help in reducing traffic accidents in Singapore.

While the tech unit is unlikely to prevent any accidents from happening, it could help to change drivers' attitudes, and hence help improve traffic safety

The study could impact changes in motor insurance. Taking things on the positive (and economical) side, installation of such gadgets in your car could bring savings in insurance premiums in time to come.

A revered brand in the industry - BlackVue

One of the leading brands in the market is BlackVue. The firm is also one of the biggest manufacturers of in-car camera systems in Korea. Not resting on its laurels, it has incorporated wireless viewing and sharing of the captured video footages in its latest camera - the DR500GW-HD.

While the BlackVue DR-500GW-HD may look just like its predecessors, it is now imbued with WiFi sharing technology, which allows users to view live, as well as to watch recording - wirelessly.

To use this function, users have to download the free BlackVue App. It is designed with iPhone and Android in mind, and allows users to wirelessly download and view the recorded video footage.

This does without the need for a built-in display screen, and hence minimising the size of the device. The new feature also removes the hassle of having to download from an SD memory card, as with conventional recording devices.

BlackVue comes with a user friendly Viewer Software for Windows and Mac OS. Currently, BlackVue is the only black box in the world that supports Mac operating systems. The 'zoom' function helps to analyse the recorded video in more details. One can also use the built-in MyWay Viewer software to search the recorded video easily by clicking on the route taken on the map - a feature which is unseen in other brands of black boxes.

Similarly, unlike various uni-directional video cameras, BlackVue utilises a 360-degree rotational lens for various recording angles. This video camera has full High Definition (HD) capabilities, and is able to run at 1920 x 1090 pixels at 30 frames per second.

Other features of the camera include a wide 156-degree viewing angle, which is one of the widest in the market. The two-megapixel CMOS censor also ensures high video quality at all times. In addition, there is a built-in high-sensitivity GPS system to allow verification of the vehicle's speed and direction data.

A total of three recording modes are available, namely Normal; Event; and Parking. The 3-axis G-sensor is activated during the event mode, which calculates the G forces involved in an accident. The system will also switch to/from parking mode automatically, doing without the hassle of any manual adjustments. To better suit our local climate, the hardware has also been tweaked for better performance in high temperature environments.

Aesthetically, BlackVue's vehicle black box also looks pleasing, and will not feel out of place in the car's interior. With a tube design that measures 12cm in length and 3.6cm in diameter, it is also small enough to be tugged from sight by hidden behind the rear view mirror so as not to obstruct the driver's view.

With high cases of accident and vandalism while parking in Singapore, surveillance recording can be supported by BlackVue using optional devices such as T-Power C Mobile Station or Power Magic PRO as to suit various car makes - regardless of Continentals, Japanese, Koreans or other models. 

To find out more about the product, jump to the video at the bottom.

BlackVue in Singapore

Established in 2008, Wow! Gadgets distributes a wide array of automotive products, ranging from security, performance enhancements to car care accessories. They are the authorised distributor for BlackVue vehicle black box.

Wow! Gadgets is located at 23, Lorong 11 Geylang, Singapore 388715. For more information on their products, please visit here or www.blackvue.com.sg. Alternatively, you can call 84996533.