Nextbase 522GW Dash Camera
During a recent event I had the opportunity to meet with a representative from Nextbase Dash Cams and go for a ride in their demonstration vehicle. I was able to talk with Jeff Chuh the VP of marketing for North America during the ride and find out more about the system and the features that were included in this package. After we talked I was able to bring home with me a Nextbase 522GW with a rearview camera and a hardwire system.
Emergency SOS Response
One feature we discussed is the Emergency SOS response system that connects to your phone and is able to contact the authorities in the event of an accident. This feature really seemed important to me, as you may one day find yourself unable to call for help after an accident. The system will alert emergency services with your location and information about yourself and your vehicle that you provided when setting up the application. I’ve set mine up, but haven’t had a chance to test it out, which is a good thing! The Emergency SOS response is free for the first three months, and available for a yearly fee of $49.99.
3” Touch Panel Screen
The screen is a 3” touch panel that I found to be very responsive and easy to use. I can be driving and easily switch to my rear view camera with a simple touch of the screen. Also, I can go through the settings while parked in a convenient manner by just touching the screen. The screen also has a great resolution which makes everything easy to see and read when you are using the system. You also have a nice button at the bottom of the screen that allows you to manually save footage.
Speaking of resolution! The videos the camera takes are remarkable. I was able to show a video I recorded to a Facebook group within 5 minutes of recording it, thanks to the quick upload and intuitiveness of the Nextbase app. The viewers were able to tell the make, model, and license plates of cars passing by in the video, as well as the color of the light at every intersection. All the info you would need for your insurance in case of an accident is very clearly visible in the camera video and Nextbase app.
Intelligent Parking Mode
Another great feature is the Intelligent Parking Mode. Intelligent parking mode monitors your car for any bumps that may happen and starts recording once it feels something. You can set the level of “bump sensitivity” in the setup menu to make sure that you capture anything that may touch your car. This feature will require that you set up the camera with a constant on 12 volt connection to keep the camera on and charged. There is a feature that monitors how much of the car battery it actually takes and makes sure not to bring your car battery down too far.
Installation
Installation was extremely easy for my 2014 Mini Cooper Countryman. I was able to get everything installed in about 30 minutes, and that includes running all the wires, finding the best spot for each camera, finding the proper fuse to use for the camera, and finding a ground. Setup was equally easy to perform and I was able to get everything up and running within another 20 minutes after the install. I spent some time going through each feature in the setting menu to make sure I had everything set the way I wanted it and formatted the memory card to prepare for my first trip around the block. Even if you’re not well-versed at installing this type of technology, Nextbase has you covered! They have a support team you can reach out to via the app, as well as YouTube videos to walk you through the installation.
Distraction
The one con I have with the Nextbase camera set up, isn’t really any fault of Nextbase. I find myself constantly looking at the screen/display pretty often while I’m driving. The images it records are so striking and I’m able to look at cars behind me while I’m stopped at a light to see just how close they get! There is a neat feature though that I’m probably going to turn off soon.
Final Thoughts
All in all I’ve had an easy time installing and using the dash camera with its rear view camera. There was a bit of setup to get the rear view camera to point exactly where I wanted it, but since I don’t have to move it after that I’m ok with this. Watching the videos I’m very happy with what I am seeing during recordings. I’m actually hoping I won’t need to use the camera, since that means I was in an accident. However, having it brings me peace of mind when I’m driving and that’s the best reason to own a Nextbase 522GW Dash Camera. We’re planning to put one in my wife’s car soon!
