How to Choose a Dashcam Vendor (Fleet Buyer’s Guide)

How to Choose a Dashcam Vendor

Selecting a dashcam vendor is no longer about “camera quality” alone. For commercial fleets, the right choice is the system that reduces risk, speeds up incident handling, scales operationally, and stands up to GDPR scrutiny.

At SafeFleetView we recommend evaluating vendors using a 4-block scorecard that forces objective comparison beyond price and marketing claims. This page summarises the approach and gives you a ready-to-use structure.

The 4 Blocks That Decide Real Outcomes

1.Safety Impact (Prevention + driver behaviour change)

This is where ROI is created. Prioritise features that actively reduce collisions and near-misses, not just record them.

What to check:

• ADAS alerts: Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Pedestrian Collision Warning (PCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

• Risk behaviour detection: tailgating, harsh events triggers

• Driver Monitoring (DMS/DSM): fatigue/distraction, phone use, seatbelt, driver absence

• Real-time in-cab alerts: audible feedback that changes behaviour during the shift

Buyer tip: Ask vendors to show event definitions (exact trigger logic), not only demo videos.

2) Claims Evidence (Incident clarity + disputes + cost)

Claims ROI depends on whether footage is usable, complete, and tamper-resistant.

What to check

• Evidence-grade video: front resolution, wide field-of-view for context

• Multi-channel support: front + cabin + optional side/rear cameras

• Event integrity: impact sensor, harsh driving triggers, protected event clips

• Storage & redundancy: adequate retention, dual storage options where applicable

• Security: encryption at rest, secure transfer, controlled exports

• Efficiency: modern codecs (H.265) to reduce bandwidth and storage cost

3) Deploy & Scale (Operations + rollout cost)

Many projects fail due to rollout friction and support overhead.

What to check

• Connectivity: built-in 4G/Wi-Fi (avoid extra gateways where possible)

• Regional coverage: cellular bands suitable for your operating countries

• Positioning robustness: GPS + Galileo/GLONASS support improves accuracy

• Vehicle data integration: CAN/J1939 readiness (if you need telematics correlation)

• I/O & peripherals: for triggers, panic button, door signals, etc.

• Vehicle compatibility: 12/24V, temperature range, installation time per vehicle

• Support model: who provides 1st-line support, RMA process, spares availability

4) GDPR Compliance (Privacy + security + legal operations)

A dashcam program is a personal data processing operation. You must be able to prove compliance—not just “claim” it.

What to check (evidence-based)

• Encryption at rest on device storage

• TLS security for transmission to cloud

• Role-based access control (RBAC) + MFA options

• Audit logs: who viewed/exported/deleted and when

• Retention controls: auto-delete, event-based upload, minimisation settings

• Privacy controls: cabin privacy mode, audio policy options

• Redaction tools: face/plate masking for sharing with third parties

• DSAR readiness: export/delete processes and SLAs

• Data residency: EU hosting options and subprocessor transparency

• Contract pack: DPA, breach terms, subprocessor list

• Operational pack: DPIA triggers, driver notices, policies, signage

This is exactly why our comparison scorecard includes a dedicated GDPR block with “what you must be able to prove” for each criterion.

Practical 6-Step Vendor Selection Process

1.Define your top use case (pick one primary)

• Safety reduction & coaching

• Claims/insurance evidence

• Compliance-first recording (event-based)

• Multi-purpose (requires stronger ops maturity)

2.Run a paper evaluation using the 4-block scorecard

• Score each criterion 0–5

• Require evidence: datasheets, screenshots, policy samples, security docs

3.Demand a 30–60 day pilot with measurable KPIs

• Baseline vs pilot comparison (events/1000 km, harsh events, near-miss types)

• Coaching workflow: who reviews, how often, and what actions result

4.Test the operational reality

• Installation time, update process, connectivity stability, support responsiveness

5.Stress-test GDPR operations

• Retention settings, access logs, export workflow, DSAR scenario

6.Decide based on total cost of ownership (TCO), not unit price

• Bandwidth/storage costs, support time, claims savings, admin workload, compliance risk

Vendor Red Flags (Common Failure Points)

• “We support GDPR” without providing audit logs, retention controls, and DPA/subprocessor list

• Continuous recording as default with unclear minimisation controls (risk escalator in EU)

• No clear role separation (any admin can export/share)

• No proven workflow for incident evidence (who can export, how it’s logged, how long it’s retained)

• Pilot offered only as a “demo install” with no KPIs, no baseline, no coaching process