Open Dashcam

The dashcam made for mapping on the Hivemapper Network.

Cameras are the eyes of a mapping network. With so many cameras in the world already, many people ask: “Why did Hivemapper design and build its own dashcams? Why can’t I use my smartphone?”

The project team tested smartphones and off-the-shelf dashcams for an early prototype, and learned they were unfortunately not suited to collecting high-quality map data. This blog post includes details.

Why Did Hivemapper Design and Build Its Own Cameras?Hivemapper

As the saying goes, “people who are really serious about software should make their own hardware.”

That's why we developed the Open Dashcam (“ODC”) specification, which includes the hardware and software required for all supported dashcams to operate on the Hivemapper Network. This includes a stack of technology that includes:

1. ODC Hardware

2. ODC Firmware

3. ODC API Software

ODC Hardware

Hivemapper Inc. built the first three ODC-compliant devices, the Hivemapper Dashcam, Hivemapper Dashcam S, and the Hivemapper Bee.

However, other manufacturers are able to build devices that meet ODC specifications. Third-party hardware manufacturers with the resources and capabilities to support large-scale production of high-quality consumer electronics are encouraged to develop their own compliant devices.