Dash cams haven't caught on in the United States and Canada like they have in countries like Russia and China, where their use is widespread.
Magellan has a few reasons why that could be the case, as the company's outdoor product marketing director, Sam Muscariello, proceeded to name a few such factors to Tech Times during the ShowStoppers event at the Wynn in Las Vegas, as part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016, on Wednesday evening.
"In the United States and in Canada, we have an excellent justice system, excellent police, excellent insurance, so all of a sudden the utility of what it was originally destined for is lost," Muscariello told Tech Times. "The consumer's stance is, 'why do I need that?' What they don't understand is there's a lot of different uses for it."
Magellan's line of MiVue DashCams hope to help prove the latter, leading up to their April release. Each of the MiVue units, whether the 320, 420, 430 or 450D, touts parking mode, a feature that allows the DashCam to sit dormant, until the car is jostled, at which point the camera will automatically turn on and start recording.
That's just one reason why the DashCams should be considered by customers in the U.S. and Canada. But there are several others that people need to consider as well. Hitting a bump in the road could lead to an accident, creating the need to have it caught on film. Same goes for bad drivers you may encounter in your commute and a nightmare situation of your word against theirs.
Muscariello adds that there's also a social media factor with the DashCams being able to pick up and catch something that happens at the spur of the moment, with little to no warnings, via still shots or video.
The MiVue 320 records in full 1080p HD at 30 frames per second on a two-inch screen in comparison to the 420, recording in 1296p Ultra HD on a 2.7-inch screen. The 430 captures footage on a 1080p Sony HD camera on a 2.7-inch screen, while the 450D is Magellan's first DashCam to feature dual cameras.
Despite DashCams having ways to go in the U.S., there are signs of growth for the devices, as Muscariello estimated an annual increase in sales from four to five percent.
Magellan's MiVue series of DashCams will range in price from $129.99 to $189.99.
