January 19, 2016

Should you get a Dash Cam for your Tesla Model S?

As reported by Teslarati*, a dashboard camera (simply known as a dash cam) has become increasingly popular over the last year especially amongst Tesla owners looking to gain a bit of extra confidence and security for their beloved Tesla Model S.

It’s also a great way to capture recreational moments for Tesla owners -- whether you're visiting Tesla Superchargers (see video below) on a road trip, or, ripping into the tarmac in one of the fastest sedans in the world. In short, a dash cam is simply an onboard camera for your vehicle that faces outwards and records video. Many professional drivers such as truckers, limousine services, motorsport enthusiasts, and others are starting to install dash cams as a way to document and protect themselves from mishaps.

You’ll need to think about what you intend to capture with the dash cam before committing to a purchase. Below are three common reasons for getting a dash cam:

Recreation: To capture footage of your drive for recreational purposes. After all, you never know when you’ll come face to face with a deer (see video below).
Proof of Accident: Documenting video footage of accidents that you’re involved in. In this case you’ll definitely want to invest in a dual channel dash cam for both front and rear coverage.
Nightime Watch: Prevent theft and damage by recording activity surrounding the car when not in use. This type of set up will require your professional installer to also install a constant always-on 12V power source for the camera so that it can continue to record while the car is left unattended.

Having a dash cam that’s not only compact in size but also feature rich was extremely important to me. I wanted something that can record continuously while I was away from my Model S but also small enough (see below) that it can remain hidden from view.

I came across several dash cams during my search but one that continued to jump out at me was the BlackVue DR650GW-2CH. Here are some reasons why I picked this dash cam for my Tesla Model S over others are as follows:

Very small cameras which do not have LCD displays. Having a LCD display makes the camera larger and more distracting because of the lit screen.
It’s 100% black in color which blends in nicely with the rear view mirror.
It’s dual channels (2 cameras – front and rear)
The BlackVue has software that can be installed on your computer and smartphone which will entitle you to a built-in GPS, G-sensor, internal short term power, built in wifi, voice responses, LED controls and more.
It is regarded as one of the best and most popular dash cams amongst Tesla Model S owners.

Editor's note: due to the extreme popularity of this particular Dash Cam model, we now carry it (it's in-stock) on our site as a certified BlackVue Reseller for Tesla owners, please press button below for learn more...

Dash Cam

===

*Source: Rob M. at Teslarati via Tesla Living