The inevitable progress of technology.
We’ve all been there: You’re driving home from work, beat after a day in the office. You’re stuck in a traffic snarl, when suddenly there’s a loud bang from the rear of your car. Or maybe someone’s squeezed you in your lane. Or clipped you while overtaking.
Accidents happen. And rather than try and explain it to the traffic police when they arrive, more and more people have begun to adopt dash cam technology, which makes like a lot easier in the event of an accident. With these dash cams all being aftermarket systems, it was inevitable that a big-name manufacturer would eventually get in on the game.
Audi is on the trend though, offering in Australia its very own genuine-accessory dash cam. Called the ‘Universal Traffic Recorder’ (or UTR), which is available as a single-cam, forward-facing model, or a dual-cam backwards- and forwards-facing unit. The UTR packs three recording modes, a full-HD camera, radar, GPS satellite connectivity, G-shock sensor, as well as wireless monitoring from a smartphone app.
Like all dash cams, the Audi UTR features a standard mode, where it will record any and all events from the moment the engine is switched on. It’ll store HD video files on a removable 8GB SD card, which never runs out of memory as the UTR will record over the oldest data once storage capacity is maximised. When the car is shut off, a second ‘Parking’ mode is activated, which utilises the radar built into the system to record whenever it’s triggered by movements. This mode remains on for 72hrs.
The last mode is set up specifically for accidents. The UTR’s G-shock sensor will trigger ‘Event’ mode, that captures footage whenever the G-shock sensor exceeds certain thresholds. The duration it records when ‘Event’ mode is triggered can be set via the UTR app.
All of the settings are operable via the app, which is available for iOS and Android devices. That same app also offers live viewing, a video gallery, and even a car-finder function. Files recorded can be saved directly to your phone too, for whatever reason.
Audi Australia has said that this product has been quite popular since its introduction last month, and is currently available on the A4, A6, A7, A8 saloons, as well as the Q3, Q5, and Q7 SUVs. Prices are pegged at $677.27 for the front-facing system, $768.18 for the front-rear system, and $52.02 for the installation wiring. All quoted prices exclude relevant taxes.
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