[volvo.rechargelv]

I would love to have a dash cam for my new P8, but I am loath to have exposed wiring and I would worry about having a 3rd party installer splice into the electronics. Any suggestion?

 

[He Keith]

I am no expert, but we just got a ICE XC40 and have been thinking about adding a dash cam. I would think the wire would get tucked under the headliner and run to a fish box fuse.

 

[BainbridgeIsland]

There's always this "official" Volvo one - apparently only available in certain Asian markets - listed here on the Volvo Malaysia web site)

https://assets.volvocars.com/my/~/media/row/malaysia/brochure/volvo-dvr.pdf?la=en-my

Looks like a generic Chinese dash cam that some Volvo subsidiary decided to re-badge

 

[skivvy]

the darn thing has some many cams already. why cant the front cam be used as a dash cam?

 

[BainbridgeIsland]

...why cant the front cam be used as a dash cam?

Because nobody has written any software to do that. Such a feature is likely near the bottom of Volvo's priority list, given all the other more important unfinished stuff they have to do. Maybe they'll allow a 3rd-party to do this, but right now Volvo is only allowing Music/Audio and Charging apps in their Google Play store.

EDIT: looks like even Tesla didn't get around to adding this feature ("Dash Cam Viewer") to their cars until just a year ago, April 2020.

 

[volvo.rechargelv]

the darn thing has some many cams already. why cant the front cam be used as a dash cam?

Actually this is what happened with Tesla (I've owned a Model S since 2017 and as well as my new P8). The cameras are all there, but it took a few years until they put them to use in a 4 camera TeslaCam system.

 

[Sandman]

Front and rear dash cam plus radar detector hardwired. Wired into the 12v system the same as ICE model.

 

[I_Kent_Spelgud]

Similar to Sandman, I installed my DoD (integrated into back of strap-on mirror style) dash cam and V1 radar detector last weekend. Since you have to peel the passenger floor carpet back to get to the INCREDIBLY STUPID location of the cabin fuse box, then fight to get the jammed plastic cover off (there were scuff marks visible on one hinge where the factory installer mashed it into place and it took a screwdriver to pry it out), I discovered there is a hole in the center tunnel that I could snake the cam cable through, so that it emerges from beneath the wireless phone charger rubber mat (remove that easily to see the gap; used a flashlight shining from the passenger footwell to see that there was a through passage, and a couple feet of 12ga copper insulated cable as a fish line; blue arrow shows path in pic). So I just used the 12V connector already on the cam cable; there is even a little cable clamp as standard equipment just above the 12V socket to make this very neat and secure (blue arrow in pic; hard to get phone into that tight area).

Then for the V1, I used vacant fuse 85 with a micro fuse tap (3rd car this setup has been in, so I’m getting better at putting it in). Warning, it took an hour longer until I learned the routine: car is off, test fuse, reject always on fuses, guess at a candidate, install fuse tap, untangle body from the acrobatic position required to put the **** fuse in the impossible fuse box, walk to other side, get in, see result: no light on V1, what? Took about 8 trips back and forth thinking I had either a bad fuse, bad fusetap, wrong orientation, should there be a fuse in both top and bottom locations?, did I fry the V1?, bad cable?, try again on an always on fuse, yeah no problem there, didn’t push fusetap in far enough?, why wasn’t the V1 lighting up on fuse position 85, dammit. Finally, figured out the accessory fuses do not receive power until you actually SHIFT! Argh! Just because the screens wake up does not power all the fuses. Don’t forget to hit Park before hopping out each time! (I didn’t forget.)

Then, both cables were run under the carpet up high over to A pillar seam about adjacent to bottom of glove box, then up under weather strip to top of pillar, tucked with difficulty and nylon panel tool under the very tight pillar cover, then under roof liner to center. I will praise the very tight fitment of the body parts and weather strip; it was a tedious job to neaten it all up. I did not attempt to remove any plastic parts, nor did I break any.

V1 hangs on a Radar Mount clamped around standard mirror post; DoD as mentioned straps over existing mirror so cam is off to driver side, and Homelink buttons are still accessible between bottom of DoD and top of V1.

pleased to discover the XC40 radars don’t fire up the V1 continuously like the **** Chevy Bolt radars did. That’s a big win. I hope my Gen 2 V1 arriving soon will be as well behaved as this Gen 1. That should be a trivial 30-sec swap as it supposedly has same mount and power spec.

 

[Woomi]

This Video was helpful to me. Little different then P8. So I ended with this.

 

[SeattleCat]

What do folks want a dashboard cam for? Not critiquing more wondering if I want one or if I should want one.

I use a escort 360c at the moment. I likes it. Like your v1 has directional which is awesome. It does go off on my iPhones lidar but not the cars.

 

[whiteyjfm]

I got hit by a car running a red light. No witnesses so it was my word against his. Insurance said it was 50 / 50. **** no, not again. next time that happens, I will have proof. That is the reason for a dash cam.

 

[He Keith]

What do folks want a dashboard cam for? Not critiquing more wondering if I want one or if I should want one.

I use a escort 360c at the moment. I likes it. Like your v1 has directional which is awesome. It does go off on my iPhones lidar but not the cars.

Look up Russian drivers on YouTube and you will see why. While not the same here, it is good evidence in accidents.

 

[SeattleCat]

Sounds like I need one

 

[SeattleCat]

Anyone have the escort m1 (needs a escort radar detector to mount on).

 

[Seattleman]

Front and rear dash cam plus radar detector hardwired. Wired into the 12v system the same as ICE model.
View attachment 711

I purchased a front and rear camera with GPS recently. I was able to install the front camera and GPS unit without much problem and used the 12 volts (cigarette lighter) adapter for power. When I asked Car Toys for an estimate for installing the rear camera, they gave me a $400-$500 plus tax estimate. They mentioned something about the curtain airbags and being careful about not damaging them during installation. Anyway, I returned the camera and purchased one with just the front-facing camera. I am thinking of installing the camera in the bottom left or right corner of the windshield to minimize my efforts to hide the wiring. Did you use the cigarette lighter adapter for power? Also, where is the radar detector plugged in? Thanks.

 

[ChicagoFlyer]

For anyone daring enough to do this, requires ability to use a volt meter, I've installed many a camera and radar setup with a vampire tap. No running wires all over your head liner, pillars, under the dash.

Find the local 12V + and ground in the massive camera setup on the P8 and plug in there, zero issues and 6" of wire max! Can be a bit tricky due to the size of the connectors from the car but if you can read a meter, you can easily do this.

Check out amazon for "Radar Mount RJ11 Mirror Wire Radar Detector Hardwire Power Cord"!

 

[Sandman]

I purchased a front and rear camera with GPS recently. I was able to install the front camera and GPS unit without much problem and used the 12 volts (cigarette lighter) adapter for power. When I asked Car Toys for an estimate for installing the rear camera, they gave me a $400-$500 plus tax estimate. They mentioned something about the curtain airbags and being careful about not damaging them during installation. Anyway, I returned the camera and purchased one with just the front-facing camera. I am thinking of installing the camera in the bottom left or right corner of the windshield to minimize my efforts to hide the wiring. Did you use the cigarette lighter adapter for power? Also, where is the radar detector plugged in? Thanks.

While I have wired a number of these in the past, I have gotten lazy in my old age (76) and had it done by Toys For Trucks this time ($287). I have previously used a mirror tap, but the P8 does not appear to be conducive to this method. Before mirror tap was available I always just wired directly into the fuse box. Sorry I could not be of help.

 

[He Keith]

For wife's T5 here is the power along with the wireless CarPlay adapter (not even noticeable when sitting in car) along with the camera mounting position.

 

[SeattleCat]

You are running the power from the usb? Could you picture the full path of the cable and how you secured it so neaty. I need to tidy up the power for my radar detector.

Tempted to get a:

Amazon.com

As it attaches to my radar detector.

 

[He Keith]

My power is the accessory plug, the USB is the wireless CarPlay adapter in out T5, my P8 is run identically. I used zip ties to hold the power amd rear camera together. Then I used a small zip through one of the vent slots in the main lane keep camera housing to hold the exposed wire snug to the lane keep housing. Tucked the wire under the roof liner, then tucked behind a-pillar.

Used this video for inspiration