Nextbase adds safety, driver assistance, and car security to smart dashcam

Nextbase is launching a new smart dashcam, the Nextbase iQ, that will incorporate AI for driver safety, driver assistance, and vehicle security.

The Nextbase iQ re-imagines connected-car technology, adding intelligence to what in the past was a simple dashboard camera.

The interesting thing about it is that it could fast-track next-generation connected-car technology, bringing new features into older cars simply by adding a connected dashcam to the vehicle.

The idea is to make any vehicle smarter, safer, and more secure. The company said it will leverage the latest AI-powered technology and offer real-time access from anywhere at any time through the iQ app.

Nextbase iQ delivers safety and security that consumers expect from the best smart home-monitoring systems, but now in the car, the company said. Now, drivers will be able to get real-time alerts and access to incident video even when they are away from their vehicle.

“There is nothing on the market that rises to the level of Nextbase iQ,” said Richard Browning, chief marketing and sales officer for Nextbase, in a statement. “Over two years and from the ground up, we have re-imagined what a dash cam can be and created the world’s first true Smart Dash Cam, utilizing AI-technology and cloud connectivity to give drivers a complete sense of safety and security.”

Above: The Nextbase dashcam uses machine learning to spot road hazards.

Image Credit: Nextbase

He added, “Never before has there been a smart connected-car product that offers so much benefit in one package. We have bettered our already best-in-class dash cam functionality and added never-before-seen technology to support drivers, whether they are on the road or away from their vehicle.”

As technological advancements continue to outpace carmaker development cycles, Nextbase hopes to deliver driver safety, driver assistance, and vehicle-security technology – including unparalleled dash cam functionality – not available in the vast majority of vehicles.

Fully integrated into Nextbase iQ is 4K, three-camera video technology, able to record outside and inside the vehicle with real-time global access and alerts.

In response to increasing on-road incidents (e.g., road rage, traffic stops) and driver anxiety, Nextbase iQ offers Witness Mode, a voice-activated, instant-on recording feature that automatically saves to the cloud and shares with a designated third party (e.g., spouse, parent) in real time, ensuring you never face a stressful situation on the road alone.

NXT Tech

Above: Nextbase detects driver alertness with its dashcam.

Image Credit: Nextbase

The company said it has patent-pending technologies in the Nextbase iQ for the purpose of protecting drivers, passengers, and their vehicles with AI-powered, cloud-connected Nextbase NXT Tech.

Drivers can access it in real time anywhere. It has spatial awareness technology – custom-designed, application-specific, artificial intelligence to anticipate and record incidents both while in, and away from, one’s vehicle.

It uses a reliable cloud connection with NXT Dual Link Wi-Fi and 4G with accurate GPS satellite positioning for fast and convenient vehicle tracking. It has a driver-assist system for navigation, and it allows you to use your voice to issue commands. You can access features while your hands remain on the wheel and your eyes remain on the road.

You can set alerts for “valet mode,” which will tell you about certain conditions when the vehicle is not in your possession, such as when being valet parked, at the workshop, or loaned to another driver such as a child or colleague.

NXT Video through Nextbase’s award-winning low-light video system to precisely capture license plates, street signs, and all other critical details in the event of an incident inside or outside the vehicle.

It uses AI for real-time monitoring of other vehicles’ speeds and trajectories, and it automatically alerts emergency services with the location and other critical details following a serious accident. It monitors a driver’s alertness in case of distracted and/or drowsy driving.

The Vehicle Aware (ADAS) system, an advanced driver assistance system, monitors the road and cars in front, warning drivers of vehicle and pedestrian danger utilizing Nextbase spatial awareness technology.

Through the Nextbase 3.0 app, drivers can receive instant incident notifications when away from the vehicle, including still snapshot visualization.

Nextbase said it has more than 55% market share for dashcams in Europe and top sales by value in the fast-growing North American market, just two years after launching in the region. Nextbase can be found in more than 7,500 retail locations in the United States and Canada including Best Buy, Best Buy Canada, Walmart, Walmart Canada, and Amazon.