With more new Mercedes now being built with forward facing cameras we are often being asked if this can be used to record in the same way as a dash cam. The simple answer is “Yes – But…”

On the factory fitted cameras, to make a recording a USB memory stick needs to be inserted into one of the USB sockets in the centre armrest which is where the videos will be stored. Where the system lacks is that this needs to be turned on EVERY time you drive the car. It cannot be set to automatically record. It also has no ability to record anything whilst the ignition is off. So no parking mode, collision detection or any of the many other features offered by a retrofitted dash cam.

The Mercedes retrofit dash cam system, although physically a separate unit, offers many more features. It has one of the most intelligent parking modes of any dash cam system. It uses radar and shock detection to activate recording whilst parked. This significantly improves the reliability of the recordings and combined with the correct installation wiring reduces unwanted triggering.

When installed to the correct MB spec the parking modes is activated once the car begins it shutdown after locking the vehicle. Parking mode is released as soon as the car is unlocked. The advantage of this is that the opening and closing of doors will not trigger a recording which on many lesser systems can be a problem. This is because parking mode is not deactivated until the ignition is turned on so it can see the doors being opened/closed as an incident and create a recording.

Braybrooks In Car Enhancements are a leading supplier and installer of the Mercedes Retrofit Dash Cam system and can professionally install to most vehicles.

The factory fitted option is available only on the latest vehicles and cannot be activated successfully other than by Mercedes. Because cars with MBUX are ‘online’ any unauthorised activations will simply be ‘undone’ the next time the car connects to Mercedes.

For details of our retrofitted Mercedes dash cam please click HERE

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Genuine Mercedes Witness Camera

6 thoughts on “Mercedes Dash Cams. Factory fitted vs Retrofit.

    • Neil Braybrook says:

      The front camera is connected to the car battery and has intelligent voltage monitoring that will prevent any chance of it causing a flat battery.

  1. Raj Lakhani says:

    Hi,

    Are you able to fit this retrofitted Mercedes dash cam, with front and rear cameras, to a Mercedes EQE? How much would yiu charge?

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