Open Dashcam project

About the Open Dashcam project
The Open Dashcam project is actively building a dashcam that is optimized for mapping on the Hivemapper Network. The dashcam is being designed publicly to ensure complete transparency around what data is being collected and will be released under an open source license enabling manufacturers and builders the ability to add support for map mining within their own dashcams.  
 Join the waitlist here.
What problem is it solving?
One of the key problems it solves is passive collection meaning that the contributor can "set it and forget it".  This is critical to making collection easier and enabling more people to participate in the mapping network. To make it a "set it and forget it" experience the collected video must be automatically transferred or backhauled to the Hivemapper Network.    
Key Capabilities
Open Dashcam records in 4K
Open Dashcam dynamically adjusts frames per second to avoid over-collecting.  
Open Dashcam automatically transfers the collected video the Hivemapper Contributor App where the content will further be compressed and where key frames are selected.  Only the key frames are then automatically uploaded to the Hivemapper Network when the dashcam is on WiFi.
Open Dashcam uses the location telemetry from the Hivemapper Contributor App for its positional accuracy.
Why is it open source?
Enables other manufactures to incorporate support for mapping within their own dashcam.
Enables the community to verify that the Open Dashcam is only collecting the information it needs for mapping, and not secretly recording your conversation or something else nefarious. 
Enables the community to enhance features, fix issues, and generally contribute to the project.
Tech Specs
Camera Specs
Sony IMX477 - a high resolution, rolling shutter CMOS image sensor
Lens is TBD - likely 2.33 mm focal length, 7.0 mm image circle 
Diagonal Field of View  - 139 degrees horizontal 
Field of View - 116 degrees 
Vertical Field of View - 60 degrees
Video Processing
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 
Quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz 
To ensure the Open Dashcam does not needlessly over-collect the Open Dashcam and Hivemapper App will work together to ensure that frames collected while a vehicle is stopped or parked are not collected.
Connected features
Built-in Wifi - 2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac
Open Dashcam connects to Hivemapper App via APIs to transfer videos and Hivemapper App is responsible for processing and uploading to the Hivemapper Network
Sensors, storage, and power
IMU - critical for dynamically adjusting FPS 
USB thumb drive - the primary source for video storage 
eMMC drive - stores operating system image, and can store minimal amounts of video 
EEPROM IC - for encryption key storage 
Power - 12v nominal DC power input and connector
Firmware
Open source firmware written in Zig.
Hivemapper App Integration
The Open Dashcam is being designed to connect to the Hivemapper Contributor App enabling backhaul (aka upload) of the data to the Hivemapper Network.
General
View live video - from the Hivemapper Contributor app you can view the live video feed.
Warnings - the Hivemapper Contributor app will warn you if the Open Dashcam is not configured or mounted properly.
Storage - view the amount of storage currently available.
Data offload
Transfers video - the primary capability is to transfer video from Open Dashcam to Hivemapper App.  The app will show yow how much video has been transferred from the Open Dashcam to the Hivemapper Contributor App over the past day, week, month.
Limit video transfer - one can limit the frequency and amount of video that is transferred. 
Mounts
There are four approved mounts when contributing with a dashcam on the Hivemapper Network.  The Open Dashcam will support any of those mount positions.  
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Cost and Timeframe
We expect the initial Open Dashcam to cost approximately $225
We expect to begin shipping the Open Dashcam to a few beta testers in late 2021
Join the Waitlist
If you want to be one of the first contributor map mining with the Open Dashcam, please add your email to the waitlist.
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Updates
Follow along for updates to the Hivemapper Open Dashcam
Alpha version of the Open Dashcam
Open Dashcam mounted and collecting imagery
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