Best Drive Recorder From BMW?

[@Porsche.Driver947]

We need a parking mode!!!!!

[@jeffh1000]

Great breakdown and content. Thanks for sharing

[@DrivenReality]

Thanks for watching. Let me know what els you want me to review.

[@MiniMicJimmy]

Finally! Looking forward to this channel

[@DrivenReality]

Thanks man. Yes I know. Finally. Let me know if you ever want to make videos together

[@chrisnelson2728]

This is exactly the info I've been looking for!!

[@DrivenReality]

Thanks for watching! Glad it was helpful

[@darkmodedui]

Drive recorder just saved me from being at fault in a red light accident.

[@DrivenReality]

Heck yeah!

[@jylehr]

Doesn't seem crazy helpful to see licence plates at night but at least it's something for insurance anyway!

[@johnnyenglish583]

Brilliant video, this is just what I needed. Like you said, these cameras are just for when someone is tailgating you or if they hit you. So I'll probably set it up so as to record with the rear and side cameras (if possible) or just the rear camera, and continue using my old dashcam for the front for that cinematic quality.

[@Showmatic]

This is exactly why i just got an external dash cam for my G82 M4. I got the Vantrue N4 Pro

[@FastRedPonyCar]

Nah this is just for if someone hits you. Getting a real dashcam like a blackvue or Viofo is the way to go if you want high quality video and sound. We got my wife the A139 pro earlier this year after she was hit by another driver and they tried to say it was her fault. Cops found traffic cam footage proving it was the other driver but we felt like getting a real dash cam was cheap insurance if that ever happens again. I've got a tesla model 3 (lease expires in a couple months and I have an M340i ordered, hence me watching these videos) and one thing I wish BMW let you do was have the 4 cameras run when the car is parked. I've seen plenty of tesla owners posting videos of people in parking lots hitting their cars and being able to use that to get police to go after the individuals for damage. I can also pull up all 4 camera feeds on my phone app to view real time camera feed when the car is parked.

[@Broken_But_Not_Broke]

Just witnessed a wreck, and luckily I had the forethought to hit the record button. 20 seconds before/20 after easily let me capture the whole incident. I stuck around and shared copies with the accident victim and police. Just wish exporting was easier. Well worth the cost, given how insane people drive…

[@אברהםצדוק-מ4ז]

could u see the license lates ?

[@AkramJamlAlLailJ87]

You can export them directly to your iPhone.

[@FRS2K]

Hey dude brah we want to seem some of that cabin fibre!!

[@DrivenReality]

I could do that! You want a review or beauty shots?

[@HansGarage]

JWOWWWW!! I can't wait for more adventures!

[@DrivenReality]

HANS GARAGE! making a celebrity appearance in the comment section! Good to hear from you.

[@leslie_cars]

How do I activate it? Is it when an accident happens it just starts recording? Or does it record all the time like a normal dash cam?

[@DrivenReality]

I wish it recorded all the time. If there is something you want to record you can hold down the button. I have it set up to then record 20 seconds before I pushed the button. Honestly not the best way to go about it but Bmw tried.

[@ramonlima8100]

Great review!

[@DrivenReality]

Thanks Ramon! What would you like me to review next?

[@scoutstanford833]

Great, helpful content!

[@DrivenReality]

Glad it was helpful!

[@inca4x4]

Great vid bud!

[@DrivenReality]

Thanks! I really appreciate it! Let me know what I should do next!

[@VamsiKrishnaReddyLazyTraveller]

Hey bud, Do you know where do i stick the USB in iX1 XDrive30 ? I'm tired of searching :(

[@DrivenReality]

@@VamsiKrishnaReddyLazyTraveller I’m not as familiar with that car but I think you can use the one in the center console

[@kevinding0218]

This was awesome, but will BMW recoding all the time while I am driving? Otherwise, how did it detect an accident that would happen or gets ready to start recording when there is an accident.

[@DrivenReality]

I believe it does record all the time just in the background. BMW says once sensors detect a crash the recording is saved. Not sure how reliable it is but still.

[@jimthompson717]

I have owned a few BMW's over the last 30 years, as well as a dozen or so other vehicles in total since the 70's, including BMW motorcycles. I think BMW is engineering focused first, and user interfaced technology second. They were late to "hands free", late to CarPlay, and late to dash cam technology, amongst others. You can buy the absolute best, well integrated (hidden ) dash cams on the after-market for less than $300 . My current vehicle is a fully loaded 2025 m440i x-drive which is truly nirvana . I freakin' love this car.

[@nishantkumar-lw6ce]

Does it monitor when the car is parked to ensure no theft happens?

[@DrivenReality]

Unfortunately I don’t believe so.

[@spoiler9112]

​@DrivenReality You can manually and remotely take still pics but no video.

[@torrmelling]

You're being far too kind, Josh. I expected BMW to match or improve upon any similar system in other manufacturers, but clearly it doesn't. I insisted on the Drive Recorder in our new $76k I4 xDrive40 we purchased a month ago expecting that it would have similar - if not improved upon - features as other vehicles, but it's not even close. Short, poor video quality, clumsy, manual activation if you want to capture an incident, no review of videos made while you're driving (unless you manually activate it to within 40 seconds of an event (and if you forget to activate it, you can forget viewing later) or you get into an accident), non-standard file type (requiring an additional third-party app to view, edit and save it as a usable file type for your phone or computer), and you must use an external thumb drive (which BMW doesn't even offer instructions on file system formatting requirements), NO ability to download it through the My BMW app (this is unforgiveable) makes this a waste of $100. The ultimate insult to injury has to be their monthly subscription model or $150 "lifetime" subscription that, I'd bet my life, does not transfer with the vehicle when it is sold (and I might add nowhere does it state that this feature is subscription based or costs additional money!). No sentry or dog-mode, either, so if you've searched the internet to research this feature because you're thinking about buying a BMW and want a built-in camera setup, consider a Tesla instead.

[@DrivenReality]

@@torrmelling you arnt wrong! I hope people see this comment. The technology is a bit dated strait away when it comes to the drive recorder. Thanks for watching as I do a agree I was a bit too kind

[@spoiler9112]

Even with these shortcomings, for $100 it absolutely beats nothing. It's easy to find online testimonials where this built-in system has saved people from being charged with an accident. It isn't the latest tech, but apparently it works. I wouldn't go Tesla simply for the sentry mode and newer camera tech alone.

[@nhtna4706]

does it have event recording feature like tesla?

[@DrivenReality]

Like if you were in an accident? It seams to have that but still I wish it would record for longer

[@nhtna4706]

@@DrivenReality no, Tesla does it for vandalism

[@DrivenReality]

@@nhtna4706 that’s cool! Here’s all it says from BMW. AUTOMATIC RECORDING: The recording is stored automatically when the vehicle sensors detect an accident occurrence. Is it reliable well hopefully I don’t have to find out!

[@nhtna4706]

@@DrivenReality yes, they should be leveraging the same technology for offline event based recordings that will be a cool feature, unless patented by Tesla,. Moreover, Elon says nothing of Teslas ideas are patented which cud be a false statement,.

[@theone262]

Can you record directly onto a USB stick while driving ?

[@DrivenReality]

That’s a good question. I’ll try it out. I’d rather not have the usb plugged in the whole time though. If I’m drinking coffee or something I’d be afraid of bumping into it and breaking the usb drive.

[@torrmelling]

Not in the '24 BMW I4 xDrive40 and I doubt in other BMWs either.

[@jaclynbeberg7401]

👏👏👏

[@ErecShin]

Well the drive recorder is only 100 when spec’ed. this is better than nothing. Can’t expect 2k or 4k quality for 100.

[@enricocolombo]

Good video and straight to the point. Only a missing consideration, the drive recorder is 100$ but you need to have the whole 360° 3d camera pack, ~2000$ and it’s not standard, even on the M3… I was considering it for my m240i but the quality seems low, but it’s way more convenient and just works, unlike a dash wich you have to wire it (ok from the console to the windscreen is not that complicated but to the rear and side cameras…

[@G20Storm]

I had the trial and didn’t like it. Anyone know of a third party that can record pretty much 360 with different cameras?

[@DrivenReality]

Yeah I thought for bmw it would of been a little better. I haven’t found a camera I would recommend yet.

[@mirazimtuychiev8296]

They have another option for like $900, it records the front and rear in QHD apparently. BMW Advanced Car Eye 3.0 Pro with Display

[@rayhuckle]

The former National Party of South Africa which is currently operating under secrecy has banned coloured/mixed raced individuals from owning BMW's. True Story!

[@DrivenReality]

I find that hard to believe

[@jlo6388]

$150 for unlimited “subscription” fyi

[@gilescain8903]

😥 *Promosm*!

[@carlosgrimaldi4318]

Drive recorder is trash on BMW rarly triggers, if ever.