Old Android Phones Turn Into Free 1080p Dashcams in 5 Steps
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jun 30
Old Android Phones Turn Into Free 1080p Dashcams in 5 Steps
3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jun 30
Summary
A ZDNET test turned a spare Pixel 9a into a working dashcam using a free Android app, an existing mount, and a car charger.
Droid Dashcam handled the core functions a normal camera app lacks, including loop recording, GPS, timestamps, speed overlays, autostart, and impact-triggered clip protection.
The setup was tuned to 1080p and 5-minute clips to reduce storage strain and overheating, with at least 32GB recommended for usable recording time.
A solid windshield mount and constant USB-C power were key to getting stable footage and avoiding rapid battery drain during drives.
The writer said the phone setup worked well for occasional or backup use, though dedicated dashcams still offer cleaner long-term use and features like parking mode.
Can repurposing your old smartphone as a dashcam really match the safety and reliability of dedicated devices, or are you sacrificing crucial features?
Does turning old phones into dashcams truly help solve the e-waste crisis, or could it create new problems like data privacy risks and device overheating?