BlackVue
How has digital video recorders
(DVRs) changed driving for the
people who use it these days?
Gary: Just five years ago, DVRs
were not so popular. Today however,
the demand has multiplied drastically,
because people see the benefits and
advantages of these onboard devices. In
my opinion, two to three cars out of ten
are possibly equipped with a DVR. To
further reinforce the fact that DVRs are
quintessential items, some car agents
are now offering these as standard
equipment upon purchase of a new car.
Road users are now aware that DVRs
are pretty much in existence on the roads,
recording 24 hours a day by numerous
drivers. With this thought, drivers are
becoming more aware that any unlawful
or rash action maybe recorded by a
witness. Vehicles On Watch (VOW) is
a project that partners residents with
in-vehicle cameras with the police to
keep the neighbourhood safe. These
cameras act as additional “eyes” in the
community; participating residents in
VOW may be approached by the Police
for footage from their in-vehicle cameras
for the purpose of investigations. With
these, police had reported that the crime
rate at the car parks had fallen in 2015.
WA: How does BlackVue stand out
from the rest of the crowd?
Gary: I believe it is the combination
of key factors; design, simplicity,
reliability and connectivity.
The BlackVue DVR has set the
standard for design in the DVR industry,
with its trademark cylindrical design
that combines a sleek look for a stealthy
finish. Not only that, matte black colour
is applied so as to make the BlackVue
DVR more discreet, allowing it to
blend easily with the car’s interior.
It is also simple and easy to operate.
With the introduction of the intuitive
smartphone app specially developed by
BlackVue, owners can use their DVR with
the most minimal of trouble. Naturally, the
BlackVue DVR is a reliable product, with a
degree of thanks to the strong after-sales
support and the extensive experienced
dealers network throughout the island.
BlackVue has always been one to
innovate, and the ‘Over The Cloud’
feature is one such innovation that
has set a new benchmark in DVR
technology, offering seamless and
quick access to the DVR, along with
a host of supportive features.WA: Convince readers that they
need a DVR.Gary: Social media has become
a great platform for in-car recorded
video these days. A multitude of
videos are uploaded daily on popular
social media platforms, such as
Facebook and Youtube, often depicting
dangerous driving or accidents.
Road accidents happen on a daily
basis and often unexpectedly. Even if
you are a safe driver, the others might
not be as cautious and civic-minded as
you. The fact that witnesses to accidents
might not want to step up, for fear of
implication and the hassle of testifying
for someone that they might not know.
The DVR comes into play as the
neutral, third party witness that does
not lie, twist or alter the facts. If a
picture tells a thousand words, isn’t
a video worth a million words then?
DVRs are possibly one of the best
ways to safeguard your car, your family
and your precious auto insurance
policy, especially if you have raked
those hard-to-earn NCD (No Claims
Discount) over the years, only to have
it ruined by a reckless driver who
insists that you bear fault as well.WA: Why should a consumer
purchase a generally, more expensive
DVR than the run-of-the-mill, $20 DVR?Gary: While the market is saturated
with a myriad of DVRs, a lot of these have
little quality control and are often prone
to failure at the most crucial moment.
Before we decided on being an authorised
distributor for BlackVue here in Singapore,
we had previously tried numerous other
brands, but decided against these because
they were simply unreliable, as well
as the lack of strong technical support,
should we require them. Many of these
are mainly OEM products and do not
have their own in-house R&D team.
Sure, price might be a deciding
point for many, but you get what you
pay for. Not only might such products
be inferior and unreliable, they could
also disappear all together after a
short period of time, causing you
to lose an avenue for support and
maintenance when you need it.WA: Have DVRs greatly changed how
insurance claims are being processed?
Are they very useful in such scenarios
when claiming against others?Gary: Many insurance companies
have acknowledged that claims can
be settled much faster with the
help of the evidence from DVRs.
However, my wish is for the Traffic
Police, as well as the General Insurance
Association of Singapore (GIA), as
well as the host of insurers, can come
together to propose a policy to reduce
the premium for vehicles fitted with
DVRs. In addition, it would be best
if the government could implement
a bill to make DVRs a standard
fitting for every vehicle that plies on
our roads, for the sake of making
transportation and driving a safer and
enjoyable experience for everyone.‘Over the Cloud’
beats the
competition by
offering seamless
connectivity unlike
that on standard
traditional DVRsMarch 2016 // 41