On the Rising Popularity of Dashcams in Cars Michael Kwan March 19, 2014 We’ve somehow gotten to the point where we want to document just about everything in our lives. With the increasingly ubiquitous smartphone camera, our Facebook and Instagram feeds are getting flooded with pictures of food, pictures of cats and pictures of cats eating food, but what about when you’re driving? It’s neither safe nor prudent to whip out your phone to snap a photo while behind the wheel… and even then, you’re bound to have moments when you wished you had taken a picture, but simply missed the opportunity. And let’s not forget about the problem with bad drivers. From this, we’re seeing more and more people invest in dashcams for their cars. Sometimes they just want to capture a scenic drive, but having that video footage can be a real life saver when dealing with insurance companies following a fender-bender. One company that is looking to make a big impact in this niche, particularly in the North American market, is PAPAGO! From Navigation to Dashcams Founded in 2001 in Taiwan, PAPAGO! (they stylize their name with the all-caps and exclamation mark) actually got its start in software. More specifically, the company worked on the design of electronic map software before extending into navigation software services. With dashcams becoming increasingly commonplace in Eastern Europe and Asia and with the market for navigation beginning to shrink, PAPAGO! recognized an opportunity to get into the dashcam business. PAPAGO! started development of its first dashcam in 2009 with the official announcement coming the following year. Unlike some other dashcams on the market that simply record continuous video, PAPAGO! dashcams like the P3 come with proactive traffic safety features like warning systems for lane departure and imminent collision. This is in addition to providing full HD video. By going above and beyond the call of duty, these dashcams can help to reduce accidents by warning the driver if there is an imminent collision detected or if the car is veering out of the lane. This helps to instill better driving habits, reminding drivers to slow down. And, of course, the cam can also provide the needed video evidence should something go awry. Unsurprisingly, PAPAGO! dashcams have experienced huge growth in China, Russia and Southeast Asia. For Your Peace of Mind Some people may argue that dashcams can be an unnecessary expense, but all it takes is one incident for the investment to pay dividends. The original intention of the dashcam was to record what was happening to the car in real time, helping to clarify the cause of the accident so the driver can avoid any unnecessary litigation. High resolution video evidence–particularly when backed up by additional data like GPS coordinates, speed recordings, and the date/time stamp, as is the case with PAPAGO! dashcams–can help drivers protect themselves against fraudulent claims. If nothing else, the always-on continuous video recording of a dashcam can provide real peace of mind. The Future Vision Just as personal GPS navigation devices have become the norm for many drivers, the market for the dashcam will continue to grow. Indeed, PAPAGO! is looking to earn 20% of the market share in the United States, continuing to improve video quality, provide rich feature sets and work on creating a more user-friendly experience. PAPAGO! wants to help prevent accidents before they happen and that’s better for everyone. Share This With The World!