No matter what kind of car you drive or how much you drive, it is always wise to have a dash cam Both you and your insurance company will have the peace of mind of knowing that you have video evidence of any altercation you may be involved in

But dash cams do more than just record video Modern dash cams are beginning to offer so many features to help you on the road Voice control, driver alerts, etc The Nextbase iQ, just unveiled at the 2022 CES, is one such camera, but its purpose is to greatly improve these features through the power of AI

The idea behind Nextbase iQ is, above all, driver safety, vehicle security, and driver assistance At the very least, it is driver assistance that can be obtained without being installed on the production line

The most notable aspect of the iQ is the three independent camera lenses that work together to provide up to 4K video resolution The main unit, designed to be unobtrusive, can simultaneously capture images through the car's windshield and inside the car, while the optional rear camera module captures a view of the rear of the car

The interior and rear camera modules provide a 180-degree field of view and up to 1440p resolution, while the front module provides a 140-degree field of view and up to 4K resolution All of these lenses are equipped with infrared night vision, and the combined field of view covers 450 degrees

According to Nextbase, the iQ Dash Cam features a new proprietary chipset that provides long-term software support and superior image quality, and new lenses and sensors improve the quality of low-light video, which even the best dash cams struggle with

But there is more packed into the iQ than just improved video quality First, the iQ has built-in LTE, which allows it to connect to the cloud in real time This also means that Nextbase can deploy new software and features in the future

The cloud is also an important part of the "witness mode," which is instantly activated by voice command and is designed to provide improved security over standard auto-recording dash cams Cloud footage can be accessed from anywhere, and Witness Mode footage can be shared in real time with emergency contacts or designated third parties

Voice commands have also been fine-tuned from other dashcams, using Nextbase's own system rather than relying on third-party assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant This means that it can give quick and simple commands to activate the camera without having to bother saying "Hey Alexa, ask Nextbase to record"

Naturally, many of the common dashcam features are here, such as the option to remotely view the camera feed and automatic recording But they are enhanced, with the iQ's ability to recognize what is happening around the car and predict what needs to be recorded This allows it to capture the entire accident, rather than what happens after the camera's G-force sensors detect a collision

There is also a "Valet Mode" that alerts the car owner when certain conditions occur when the car is not at hand For example, suppose you leave your car at valet parking, leave it at a store, or lend it to someone else That way you would know that someone hasn't been tampering with it while you were gone; it also has built-in GPS, so you can track the car's location in real time

That alone sounds great, but what's really exciting here are the driver assistance tools; according to Nextbase, AI is essential for these features According to Nextbase, AI is essential for these functions, because apparently there are too many false positives with non-AI systems

Therefore, the iQ should stand out from other dash cams with similar features

The Roadwatch AI can monitor traffic around it in real time, monitoring its trajectory and speed to within 25 miles In addition to this, there is a "Vehicle Aware" function that alerts the driver to potential hazards from pedestrians and other road users, and a "Driver Aware" function that monitors for signs of side-stepping driving

Finally, the Emergency SOS feature can detect that you are unresponsive in an accident and automatically contact emergency services or first responders The dash cam can communicate important details and provide your exact location with the support of what3words However, this is a completely autonomous system and not a panic button that can be activated by itself, but as a last resort

The Next Base iQ will be available this September, but pricing details have not yet been disclosed It is also worth noting that there will be a subscription component to cover cellular data, which is primarily needed by the camera Pricing has not yet been determined here either, but Nextbase has said that they are aiming for around $6