What is Parking Mode?

Round-the-clock protection

Although dash cameras are intended to capture your driving, did you know that they can also keep an eye on your vehicle even when the engine is off? Thanks to the Parking Mode function.

Any recording your dash cam captures while the ignition is off and your car is parked is simply referred to as on “Parking Mode. Additionally, you could hear expressions like “parking mode,” “parking guard,” or “sentry mode.” All of these expressions refer to the same thing. Consider it as 24-hour security and monitoring for your car.

If you are concerned about hit-and-runs or damage to your parked car, parking mode is a very helpful tool to have. However, not all dash cams have parking mode, and not all parking modes are created equal.

When is parking mode activated on the dash camera?

When does the dash cam switch to parking mode?

If your dash cam is in actual parking mode, it will be able to transition from normal recording to parking mode recording without any user intervention when your car is actually parked.

When the ignition is turned off, some dash cameras switch to parking mode recording; others rely on the built-in G sensor or by detecting activity.

Ignition-Triggered

The dash cameras detects the voltage difference as soon as the ignition is turned off and switches to parking mode recording. If you wish parking mode to start as soon as the ignition is turned off, or if you commute through busy regions and are frequently stationary for longer than five minutes in traffic, ignition-triggered is ideal.

G sensor triggered

After the built-in G-sensor detects the car has been struck or involved in an accident the dash cam will transition to parking mode. If you must keep your ignition on while parked, G-Sensor triggered is recommended.

Detecting activity

Every time you park and intend to leave your car stationary for an extended period of time, you must activate the Motion Detection mode on your dash cam.

When you go behind the wheel again, it’s crucial to turn off the dash cam’s motion detection feature since when the car is moving, the motion detection mode can interfere and prevent the camera from continuously recording.