Why don’t cars have USB socket at top of the window screen?

Duke of Url

Considering there is a Hugh Market in dash cams and people tend to fit them either at the top or bottom on the window screen,

Why don’t car manufacturers fit a USB socket at top of the window screen?

Pete123456

Duke of Url wrote: »

Considering there is a Hugh Market in dash cams and people tend to fit them either at the top or bottom on the window screen,

Why don’t car manufacturers fit a USB socket at top of the window screen?

Not quite the same, but some manufacturers are fitting optional dashcams, which really appeals to me

bazz26

Some new cars are starting to come with a top mounted usb port built into the side of the rear view mirror housing now alright but generally its a new thing.

road_high

Was looking at a new Citroen C3 a few months ago- apparently they’re built in now on those.

colm_mcm

The new Octavia has it in the back of the mirror or something.

Not sure if Golf has.

ford ranger has it.
https://www.bytesites.co.za/2020/10/06/neater-dash-cam-fitments-in-ford/

saw it on a Chinese EV review too but can't remember the brand.

Birka

Does that mean that those cars with standard fitment can't be driven in Austria and Portugal?

sumo12

Birka wrote: »

Does that mean that those cars with standard fitment can't be driven in Austria and Portugal?

You've lost me...

The Continental Op

sumo12 wrote: »

You've lost me...

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/dash-cam-use-abroad-could-mean-fines-or-jail/ .

Birka

sumo12 wrote: »

You've lost me...

Dashcams are illegal to use in both countries. In Portugal its illegal to actually own one. It might make things a little complicated if, for instance, you were on holiday and wanted to drive in either country with a car that had a dash cam which was fitted as standard.

AnonZen

Dashcam bans, I think.

hi5

Can you get short cables?

sumo12

Birka wrote: »

Dashcams are illegal to use in both countries. In Portugal its illegal to actually own one. It might make things a little complicated if, for instance, you were on holiday and wanted to drive in either country with a car that had a dash cam which was fitted as standard.

Wow. Thanks, I never knew that!

phill106

i am amazed that its illegal in some countries...
Suppose all they wouldhave to do is have it region locked on new car sales of those models in the country.
Crazy...

kirving

Duke of Url wrote: »

Why don’t car manufacturers fit a USB socket at top of the window screen?

Some of it just depends on the development cycles of new vehicles, so cars that are released today in all likelihood were conceived 5-7 years ago, and have had their electronic systems frozen 2-3 years before the start of production.

Just takes a little while for customer demands to be filtered down.

road_high

Birka wrote: »

Dashcams are illegal to use in both countries. In Portugal its illegal to actually own one. It might make things a little complicated if, for instance, you were on holiday and wanted to drive in either country with a car that had a dash cam which was fitted as standard.

I presume you can turn it off if that’s acceptable- the Citroen C3 with a standard one here is actually one of the best selling cars in Spain and Portugal so I don’t know

Gumbo

hi5 wrote: »

Can you get short cables?

Yes.

phill106

hi5 wrote: »

Can you get short cables?

whatever length you want!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-6in-Mini-USB-Cable-Grey/dp/B003WV5DME/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3QF1B4V3IPSC8&dchild=1&keywords=short+mini+usb+cable&qid=1609845854&sprefix=short+min%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-5

road_high

road_high wrote: »

I presume you can turn it off if that’s acceptable- the Citroen C3 with a standard one here is actually one of the best selling cars in Spain and Portugal so I don’t know

I remember seeing a review and heard that the on the Citroen C3 the built in dashcam only retains/records 15 or 30 seconds of video so that it is legal in certain E.U. countries. In that mode is serves to record incidents on the road but isn't impacting the privacy of the public in a meaningful way.

Pete123456

Pete123456 wrote: »

Not quite the same, but some manufacturers are fitting optional dashcams, which really appeals to me

Judging by the excuse for what most of them call a sat nav, I'd be dubious of quality and would much rather choose my own.

MarkN

New Octavia

crosstownk

Deleted User wrote: »

I remember seeing a review and heard that the on the Citroen C3 the built in dashcam only retains/records 15 or 30 seconds of video so that it is legal in certain E.U. countries. In that mode is serves to record incidents on the road but isn't impacting the privacy of the public in a meaningful way.

It automatically records and stores a couple of minutes either side of a detected incident but it is possible to download clips going back many driving hours via the Citroen app. That's my experience of the ConnectedCam here in Ireland. It's only available in the higher spec (FLAIR) model, afaik.




I would suspect that it's not standard equipment on new units destined for markets where dash cams are prohibited.

Penfailed

Duke of Url wrote: »

Considering there is a Hugh Market in dash cams and people tend to fit them either at the top or bottom on the window screen,

Why don’t car manufacturers fit a USB socket at top of the window screen?

Do you mean windscreen?

crosstownk

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Judging by the excuse for what most of them call a sat nav, I'd be dubious of quality and would much rather choose my own.

I've used the Citroen dash cam on a couple of C3s. The quality is excellent, tbh.

Duke of Url

Penfailed wrote: »

Do you mean windscreen?

If you want to be Pedantic about it.

ManOfMystery

Given the prevalence of dashcams now I was surprised manufacturers weren't offering them in some neater integrated fashion (e.g. built into the mirror housing) than stuck to the window with cables dangling down, but wasn't aware they're illegal in some countries, that may have been a contributing factor.

vandriver

Duke of Url wrote: »

If you want to be Pedantic about it.

*pedantic

Duke of Url

vandriver wrote: »

*pedantic

ManOfMystery

vandriver wrote: »

*pedantic

*pedantic.

galwaytt

hi5 wrote: »

Can you get short cables?

Yes you can, I have one that's only 150mm long