Google’s Personal Safety app has a new ‘Dashcam’ feature, allowing certain Android devices to work like dashcam cameras. The feature was spotted after Google reportedly released a “dogfood” build of the app by mistake.
The discovery was shared by 9To5Google, which noted that the version of the app uploaded to the Play Store was called “version 2023.04.27.532191641.8-dogfood.” According to the report, the feature was only available to certain Android devices (Google Pixel and Nothing Phone 1) when it was tested. Although there are no clear descriptions of whether the feature will be exclusive to Google, this limited availability might indicate a tiny bit of such a possibility.
The feature will have its dedicated button right under the “Be prepared” section of the app, and Google reportedly made it as convenient as possible. The feature will also optimize the Android device to make it capable of storing hour-long recordings without draining the battery.
It activates via the vehicle’s Bluetooth and deactivates once the connection ends. Google’s description says it can store up to 24 hours of video, with audio recording options. And while each minute can consume 30 MB, the app will compress them to save space without losing the quality of the video. Moreover, any unsaved videos will also be deleted after three days, allowing you it reuse your device’s storage repeatedly. Also, the feature will work in the background, which means you can use your phone for other purposes or lock the screen and it will continue recording.
These capabilities can certainly transform an Android device into an effective dashcam, but Google is not the first to introduce the idea of using phones as dashcams. On Play Store, different apps can also turn any smartphone into a dashcam unit and even offers more features and settings, including support for multiple languages and driving trajectory and speed recording. That said, adding the feature to the Personal Safety app might not be a huge deal anymore. Yet, given the feature is still to be announced and with Google making significant AI investments recently, we’re hoping the company could add more thrilling capabilities to the dashcam feature before it releases it officially.
