[Volasko]

With all the factory cameras on the car you would think they could also double as dash cam. Is it possible with BMW connected drive that in a crash situation you could pull the data from the native cameras some how? Or is it better to get a dedicated 3rd party dash cam solution?

[nZtiZia]

the app that captures post-crash video is the Drive Recorder app which requires the package, but I don’t know if it’s offered on the 5-series. my wife’s 530e doesn’t have Parking Assistance, thus no Drive Recorder app. I have it on my X5, and I have a dash cam. note that while the native cameras continuously record, you can only retrieve crash-triggered video (20 seconds before and after event) or any manual recording(s)…nothing else. a third party dash cam has all those video clips that you can sift through.

even before the Drive Recorder was a feature, we’ve always installed dash cams after someone attempted to hit and run from us several years ago. the small investment is worth it

[M1903a3]

My '22 M550i has the Drive Recorder. You can start recording manually via the menus or by pushing the camera button on the console. You can also select which camera is recorded. Later you can view a recording or export it.

All this is covered in the owners manual.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by M1903a3

My '22 M550i has the Drive Recorder. You can start recording manually via the menus or by pushing the camera button on the console. You can also select which camera is recorded. Later you can view a recording or export it.

All this is covered in the owners manual.

Ditto on my '23, except that OP has a 2018 so who knows?

He/she should call the genius to see if she/he can get a subscription for drive recorder.

[LogicalApex]

Drive Recorder is only available on MY2021+ (LCI) with the 360 Camera package (Parking Assistant).

MY2020 cars and older will not have this functionality.

Even if I did. I would still add a dashcam. For the reasons nZtiZia articulated.

My dashcam can hold hours of footage at 4K (6 hours or so). Meaning, I can have a much more complete picture in the case of any accident or hit and run. Including, where I may have gotten the plate of the offending driver more than 30 seconds prior to the “trigger” event that BMW would have registered. Drive Recorder is better than nothing, but not a replacement IMHO.

[HerkHealer]

IMO the best feature of Parking Assist is remote 3D viewing of your car and its surroundings. This is especially useful when you leave your car at the Dealership so you can tell if your SA is bullshitting you or not.