Updated on July 29, 2023
Since Uber hit the streets back in March 2009, saying that it’s taken the world by storm is an understatement. Hundreds of millions use the taxi service, meaning there is also a requirement for millions of Uber drivers to supply the demand.
Sadly though, with the number of hours that cabbies have to put in to make a living, comes the added risk of experiencing video-worthy content on the road. This could be capturing video in the form of an accident, or other crime, such as an assault.
Many Lyft and Uber drivers witness accidents daily. With a dash cam, as an Uber driver, you can help come forward to protect an innocent person that has been wrongfully accused during an RTA. Or even help prosecute someone who may have gotten away with an RTA, such as a hit and run. Additionally, you may indeed yourself become the victim of such an event, and perhaps need the video footage to help clear your name or prosecute a criminal. This is where dash cams come in handy.
Buying a dash cam for uber drivers is like buying a drill for a handyman. The two go hand in hand. It is an investment that can and will make life so much easier when the time arises.
In the next section, we shall give details of the most important aspects that a rideshare person, Lyft or Uber driver needs to keep in mind when shopping for a new dashboard camera.
Top 5 Best Dash Cams For Uber
The best uber dash cam doesn’t always necessarily have to be the most expensive. Here are some of the top rated, which have a good blend of features and quality at a great price.
| Brand / Model | Display | View Angle | GPS | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WheelWitness HD Pro | 3" | 170° | Integrated | 3.9 x 1.2 x 1.9" |
| VAVA Dash Cam | On phone | 155° | Integrated | 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.1" |
| Rove R2 4K | 2.4" | 150° | Integrated | 3 x 2 x 1" |
| Rexing V1 4K | 2.4" | 170° | Optional | 6.6 x 5 x 3.4" |
| Apeman C420 | 2" | 170° | No | TBC |
Should I Buy A Dash Cam For My Uber?
The simple answer is, yes, you should. Here are some reasons why:
- Most dash cams can record audio inside the interior cabin, so if you get into an argument or altercation with a passenger you’ll have audio evidence to present to the police.
- Also, some dash cams can record the road ahead, while also recording footage inside the cabin. This can help catch criminals who assault drivers or take off without paying where cash is involved.
- Spending many hours on the road places you at higher risk of being hit by another car. Present footage of the accident if and when required from your saved videos.
- When criminals see a dash cam in the vehicle, they are less likely to assault or abuse the driver, whether it’s physical or verbal.
Which Features Are Best For An Uber Driver?
- A dual dash camera setup can record the front and rear simultaneously, so you don’t have to worry about getting shunted from behind and taking the blame.
- Parking Mode and G-Sensor functionality are the ultimate impact detection tools and can help find anyone responsible for hitting your car when parked up.
- Busy city roads can mean more accidents, so using the loop-recording feature can ensure you always have footage recorded and saved to memory, ready to watch if required.
- A small, mini size camera would be best, as it will minimize distractions when mounted on the windscreen.
- If possible, you should buy a camera with wide angle of view for both the front and rear (if buying dual channel). Try to aim for anything with over 140 degrees viewing angle for optimal recording coverage.
- If you pay a little more you can get dashcams with drive-assisting features, which can alert you when it detects certain hazards. This is handy for taxi drivers who do long hours.
Our Top 5 Picks
1. WheelWitness HD PRO
Widely considered as the best dash cam for uber drivers in the mid-range budget, when you look at the spec sheet of the WheelWitness HD PRO, one particular detail will jump at you – 2560 x 1080 / 2306 x 1296p Super HD resolution. This specific model is rated the one with the highest resolution in the world currently.
You will notice not only in this review, that a lot of dashboard cameras are being promoted as having Wide Dynamic Range. You would wonder what that is. Wide Dynamic Range ensures that the sensor can pick a larger range of illumination, starting from the brightest white and ending with the darkest black. The larger that range is, the more detail and more contrast are what the camera is able to pick up. With a camera that has a small dynamic range, the stills and footage will have less contrast. The WheelWitness HD PRO has WDR plus great night vision.
Another feature of this device is the GPS module. GPS logs vital information such as the location of the vehicle, the route it had taken, and even the speed which can then be embedded into the video being recorded for additional pieces of information in the case of an accident.
2. VAVA Dash Cam
This stylish design might look like a Bluetooth speaker, but looks can be misleading. This is a full HD video capable (1920 x 1080P @60fps) swivelling car dashboard camera. It has a HDR mode, which stands for High Dynamic Range. This is a technology that has been taken straight from digital cameras. High dynamic range captures a greater variance between the brightest white and the darkest black in the scene and is the reason why some cameras have a high natural contrast compared to others.
The VAVA dashboard camera comes with built-in WI-FI, GPS, G-Sensor, and parking monitor, just some of the features that add to the already impressive feature list. Did you know that having safety features like anti-burglar alarms, parking monitors, and so on can have a favorable effect on the insurance premium that you pay for your vehicle? This baby simply pays for itself over time.
3. Rove R2 4K
The thing that you would like about the Rove R2 4K is the sleek design. This is one small and neat looking dashboard camera system that can easily pass off as a point & shoot unit. It has all the usuals including full high definition video recording at 24fps (4K) with auto recording that switches on as soon as you turn on the ignition, Wide Dynamic Range and excellent night vision for capturing crisply detailed footage even in low light, an OV4689 – 4MP CMOS 4:3 image sensor, Wi-Fi and App Support, and embedded GPS locator. In terms of memory, it can support up to 128GB class 10 – U3 speed micro SD card.
To top it all, the camera has a HD photo capture mode. This is the sort of multi-utility tool that you would love to have inside your vehicle. One-handed operation allows you to adjust the field of view, watch snippets, set up, and even shoot stills when you are driving, all combining to make it close to becoming the best dash cam for uber you can buy in 2023.
4. Rexing V1 4K
Not only is this one of the smallest dashboard cameras around, but there are also many other selling points of the Rexing V1 4K, such as the great combination of NOVATEK 96663 chip and the OV4689 Sensor. With a huge list of in-car cameras for sale in the marketplace to choose from the process of decision making may not be straightforward. After all, in terms of features, many of these devices are similar to each other with not much to choose between them. However, some stand out because of the comprehensive nature of their feature list.
One of the features you should look for when reading a review is if the camera has integrated GPS. Unfortunately, the Rexing V1 4K does not have that feature but does feature some others, including full HD video recording along with High Dynamic Range and a 170° wide angle lens.
5. Apeman C420
If you understand the importance of installing one of these devices, you no doubt should also understand the value of high-resolution recording. Pound for pound, probably the best uber dash cam in its class, the Apeman C420 has a reasonably sized 2” LCD screen, an ultra wide-angle 170˚ field of view lens, night vision and above all full HD resolution. It also has auto-recording, which leaves human interaction to hit REC out of the equation. Night vision is meaningless unless your unit has the backing of a larger dynamic range; with a 6-layer glass design and wide dynamic range technology, those requirements are fulfilled. Even the overall styling and finish of the exterior design is done, keeping in mind the need to reduce reflection.
One of the criteria to be a good dashboard camera system is that it should remain discreet; the small frame is non-reflective and therefore draws less attention, making it overall a stylish and feature-packed vehicle companion.
Conclusion
As you can see from our reviews, all of the above in-car cameras will serve as loyal devices for every taxi driver who installs one. However, the model you choose will be based on your budget. Each of them offers similar functionality and high-quality digital recording capability, so it would be hard to recommend just one. For example, the VAVA has no LCD screen, so it is inconspicuous, and it has the steering wheel button to capture stills easily. The Rove and Rexing both offer superb 4K resolution, while the Apeman can record front and rear images at the same time.
Buying a dash cam for your vehicle, whether it’s Uber, Lyft, or something else, is highly advisable. You’ll not know the value of having one until the requirement arises, and it’s too late. Act now and get one of these devices installed into your car without delay.
With more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, Ash possesses a deep understanding of the diverse needs and challenges faced by drivers on the road. His relentless commitment to road safety and ongoing research is fueled by a genuine desire to create safer environments for all drivers.