Garmin NuviCam: How to go beyond the traditional GPS navigators

Garmin NuviCam is also a navigation system for a motor vehicle, but perhaps this is his feature less significant. Thanks to an integrated Dashcam improves transport safety, as well as to record what happens to the vehicle in front.

In recent years the field of satellite navigation systems for automotive use, sold as an accessory after market by various companies, has been an attractive market for many companies; for some years now but it is assisted to a steady decline in sales.

Garmin for this change has led to a sharp change in weight, in terms of total turnover, products related to navigation. If in 2007 for the American company sales of satellite navigation systems accounted for about 70% of total sales in 2014, we moved to approximately 43%. For the market as a whole has gone from annual sales of about 1 million boaters in 2007 to the current figure of about 350,000.

Propose, in the market for navigation systems, something that is radically different than the standard and the product from the competition is the particularly difficult task for the producers, but the spaces for innovation continue to be present.

With Garmin NuviCam launches the challenge by offering a product that contains the very different functions, among which is also that of GPS navigation system for a motor vehicle but that is certainly not the main one. Shape and dimensions are those of a navigator oversized, thanks to the display from 6 inches diagonal with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, but looking back facing the road you discover the first breakthrough: a light that operates as dashcam.

What is it about? This is a device that continuously records what is an angle of the lens, so what happens in front of the car, adding to the images some information from the satellite system such as spatial position, current speed and course date and time. In this way, the user, in a completely automatic way come into possession of a continuous recording of what happens in front of the motor vehicle.

The recording time is Fuzion the size of the SD card used and the resolution, which can be as 720p 1080p. With the SD card 4 GB included with the product, you can record 1.5 hours and 1 hour with standard 720p to 1080p; at the opposite end with a 64 GB SD card, you will get about 25 hours of recording at 720p and 16.6 hours at 1080p. Once that has been employed by registration the space available on the memory card will be the device, automatically, it will overwrite with new footage older recordings.

The moment any occurrence not ordinary, identified as such by the accelerometer integrated in Garmin NuviCam, the system will automatically save the piece of film in a protected space of the memory so that it remains available for viewing at a later time without be in any way deleted. Take, for example a collision, or to an output of the road: Garmin NuviCam will automatically save these moments in the video, along with those preceding and subsequent, so that it is possible to see them again at a later time to ascertain the causes of the accident and any responsibility.

The presence of a Dashcam open space also features driver assistance, similar to that proposed by some car manufacturers on their models. If the traveling speed exceeds 65 km/h, there is a warning system passing lane, which operates with a sound message as well as with a message on the display of NuviCam.

It is also a warning system in the event of a frontal collision, selectable on three levels of intervention: if our vehicle is approaching to the one preceding it too fast a video signal and an audible call our attention so to avert a collision. RealVision Last but not least, thanks to a feature that Dashcam helps to better identify the number of your destination when you are at the end of the trip.

Garmin has chosen not to integrate in NuviCam a SIM for data traffic, but to use a connection with a smartphone. This choice starts from a practical consideration: who has a smartphone is connected to a data plan, with traffic that can be used in sharing even for the need of the navigator. This way, you avoid having to request a annual subscription fee for the service update data in real time, additional to the cost of the device.

Garmin NuviCam a product that differs from what is offered on the market by the other satellite navigation systems for motor vehicles, which thanks to the presence of Dashcam wants to increase the active safety of the motorist making accessible features that are present only as an accessory for some cars.

Do not overlook the possibility of obtaining discounts and concessions on the part of his insurance company when you use Garmin NuviCam: the integrated dashcam represents an important test when you present a claim and have to assess the responsibilities of those involved. Garmin is working with major insurance companies and national expect announcements about it in the coming months.