How to Install Dashcams for Fleets: Best Practices, Challenges, and Solutions

Common Mistakes in Dashcam Installation and How to Avoid Them

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Simplifying Dashcam Installations with RideView: A Smarter Way to Safer Fleets

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As fleets increasingly adopt AI-powered video telematics solutions to improve road safety, driver behaviour, and operational efficiency, the correct installation of dashcams becomes critical. A dashcam that is poorly installed or improperly configured not only limits the potential of AI insights but also risks missing crucial incident footage when it is needed most.

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This blog explores why correct installation is crucial, common challenges encountered during installation, and how solutions like RideView help streamline the process.

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Why Install a Dashcam?

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The primary motivation for installing a dashcam is to retrieve footage in the event of an incident. Footage captured around the time of an incident provides valuable context, helping to exonerate the driver or to determine the root cause. Quality footage enhances interaction with first responders, streamlines the insurance claims process, and supports safety reviews.

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Retrieving footage from even a single no-fault incident can often deliver the ROI equivalent to an entire year’s dashcam deployment for a mid-sized fleet.

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To capture the proper context, the camera must be installed correctly. 

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Key installation objectives include:

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• Continuous Operation: The camera must remain operational at all times the vehicle is in use, starting to record as soon as the vehicle moves and continuing until the ignition is turned off.
• Road Camera Lens: It should capture as much of the road scene and surrounding context as possible—the road ahead, adjacent vehicles, traffic signs—with appropriate brightness.
• Driver Camera Lens: It should clearly capture the driver’s actions and the immediate surroundings of the cabin.
  
  

Fleets deploy state-of-the-art AI-based video telematics solutions with the expectation that individual drivers — and eventually the entire fleet — will become safer. This is achieved by coaching each driver on their specific areas for improvement.

The AI analyzes video feeds, GPS data, and g-sensor values to identify risky driving behaviors. Gradual improvement — one behavior at a time — raises the fleet's overall safety score.

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However, AI insights are only as good as the quality of input they receive. For instance, if a sun visor obstructs the driver-facing camera’s view, the AI can at best flag the obstruction — it cannot substitute missing footage.

Therefore, correctly installing an AI dashcam is crucial and should never be overlooked.

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Challenges in Installation

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Ensuring that the installation meets specifications is easier said than done. While installation steps, guides, checklists, and recommendations are crucial, real-world installations often face complexities influenced by:

• Geographic Factors: For example, regulations in some countries mandate that no part of the dashcam falls within the windshield wiper zone, ensuring an unobstructed view for the driver.
• Field Realities: Installers often encounter unexpected hurdles that require creativity and adaptability.
  
  

Key Installation Considerations

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Road-Facing Camera

• Must clearly capture the road ahead, adjacent lanes, and roadside traffic signs.
• No part of the vehicle (hood, dashboard, or cabin interior) should appear in the field of view.
• Installers must balance minimising hood visibility and sky exposure due to the fixed camera field of view.
  
  

Driver/Cabin-Facing Camera

• The rearview mirror, sun visors, or other cabin elements must not block the field of view.
• A near-frontal view of the driver’s face should be captured.
• Drivers seated far back (more than 2 meters from the dashcam) will appear smaller in the frame, limiting visibility.
• Capturing more of the torso improves the reliability of seatbelt detection.
  
  

Trade-Offs Between Dashcam Types

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Choosing between a dashboard-mounted and a windshield-mounted dashcam is not merely a hardware decision—it impacts the field of view, sensor inputs, and the quality of driver monitoring. Here’s a quick comparison of the trade-offs to consider for optimal performance.

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In some cases, dashcams offer a separate pigtailed driver monitoring camera, allowing for independent placement and better alignment with driver-facing requirements, albeit with added installation complexity.

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Professional Installations vs. Self-Installations

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Early generations of AI-based dashcams required professional installation and manual calibration, involving:

• Measuring lens height relative to the ground.
• Marking lane lines and vehicle width.
• Setting calibration parameters based on field observations.
  
  

While time-consuming, this process ensured highly accurate estimates of distance to vehicles, lane changes, and other events. 

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Modern dashcams now offer automated calibration, allowing:

• Installations by in-house technicians without third-party involvement.
• Dashcams can self-calibrate after minor adjustments.
  
  

This reduces installation time while maintaining data reliability, provided the initial setup remains within acceptable tolerances.

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RideView Installation Workflow

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To simplify and enhance installation reliability, LightMetrics' RideView companion app—available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store—provides installers with dedicated tools and workflows.

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The app guides the installer through a structured checklist covering:

• System Functions:
  
  • Ensuring device power, ignition response, storage formatting, alert volume, and network connectivity.
• Mounting Functions:
  
  • Identifying a suitable mounting location.
  • Affixing and orienting the dashcam for optimal self-calibration.
• Reporting Functions:
  
  • Capturing field-of-view images for both road and driver cameras.
  • Uploading device metadata (firmware, APK version, SIM details).
  • Generating and submitting an installation report.
    
    

Proper installation is the foundation for realizing the full potential of AI-powered video telematics solutions. A dashcam installed with precision ensures high-quality data collection, improved driver coaching, enhanced safety, and a faster return on investment (ROI) for fleets.