Ring Cameras for Your Vehicle Could Help Your Injury Case
January 17, 2023
Amazon, the parent company of Ring, is ringing in the New Year with the introduction of a new camera model built specifically for your car. The camera’s long-anticipated arrival to the market could be beneficial for those injured in wrecks. On January 5th, 2023, the Chief Technology Officer of Ring, Josh Roth, announced the release of the Ring Car Cam, a dual-facing dashboard security camera for your vehicle. This move is the latest in Ring’s overall strategy towards creating secure communities, with a mission statement of: ‘Help make neighborhoods safer.’ Now, Ring is taking on a new challenge – make drivers safer.
Ring’s Background
Ring cameras are a line of smart home security cameras developed and sold by the Amazon-owned company, Ring. In 2011, Jamie Siminoff, the Chief Inventor and Founder of Ring, brought together a small team of engineers to “build something cool and important.” That team, including only five people at the time, worked out of his garage and launched the DoorBot within a year, officially launching in December of 2012.
After the launch, even with the limited personnel and funding they had, they were able to complete orders and ship products to customers all over the world. With more orders, though, there was an obvious need for more funding. Noticing that, Jamie presented the DoorBot on Shark Tank in November of 2013. Even though all passed, Jamie took the doubts and critiques the Sharks voiced about the ability to sell the product, plus the publicity the company received from the Shark Tank episode, and ended up turning DoorBot into a multi-million/billion dollar company with a new brand, Ring. The re-branding, alongside the official release of the Ring Video Doorbell, took place in September of 2014, less than three years after the company was founded, and less than one year after the Shark Tank episode.
Growing quickly and nearly monopolizing the market for video doorbells, Ring was being noticed by high-dollar investors all over the world. However, competition began to increase, which resulted in the sale of the company to Amazon in 2018. The acquisition allowed Amazon to integrate some of its own products with Ring features to create a more secure way of living for all users.
The Ring Car Cam
The camera and its features will allow users to monitor the inside and outside surroundings of their car from anywhere by using the Ring App, similar to other Ring products. The Car Cam has two wide-angle HD cameras with night vision, built to detect and record movement. If motion is detected, an alert will be sent through the Ring App notifying the user. The Car Cam also has the Live View and Two-Way Talk features available through the app, if connected to WIFI.
The overall basis and use of the Car Cam is to be able to protect your vehicle and to help monitor its surroundings, in attempt to lessen the chance of break-ins or other types of suspicious activity.
Ring announced the release of the Car Cam earlier this month, is currently accepting pre-orders, and will be officially launching the new product in February.
What Advantages Does the Ring Car Cam Bring to Car Wreck Victims?
The Ring Car Cam comes packed with features that could potentially strengthen a personal injury case. When a vehicle is in motion, the Ring Car Cam functions like a traditional dash camera. The dual-facing camera design records both the interior cabin of your vehicle and the front exterior of the car, capturing vital information you’ll need if you’re involved in a collision.
If the vehicle is at a stop and not recording, or if the camera has been manually switched off, a voice command can be used to manually begin recording without having to take your hands away from the wheel. This feature is called Traffic Stop and can be activated by simply saying, “Alexa, Record.” The command will trigger the device to start recording your surroundings, internally and externally, for several minutes. This helps drivers capture information that may otherwise go undocumented, such as interactions between drivers after a collision, the exchange of insurance information, a license plate after a hit and run, and more. This could also be helpful when proving fault, a critical factor of any car accident claim. Sometimes, a reckless driver will admit their negligence to the victim, but will change their story once the police arrive or when reporting to the insurance company. In this instance, the Ring Car Cam could record the interaction with the at-fault driver, prove they’re being untruthful, and strengthen your case.
Finally, the interior camera that records the cabin of your vehicle may collect vital evidence for personal injury cases. In the event of a collision, Ring Car Cam’s dual-facing cameras would ensure both the wreck and how it impacts those inside the vehicle are thoroughly documented. Imagine a scenario where someone runs a red light, causing you to be involved in a side-impact collision. Ring’s cameras could record not only the exterior of the impact, but also show how you and your passengers were harmed by the other driver’s negligence. Visible evidence could be collected immediately after a collision showing how you sustained injuries, backing up any claims documented by your health care providers during treatment. For injuries that aren’t always visible to the human eye and may prove harder to argue to an insurance company, like a TBI, having visual evidence of how the crash caused whiplash or an impact to the head could be especially beneficial for your injury claim.
Additional Ring Car Devices Expected to Launch
Though not released yet, the Ring Car Cam is expected to gain a new feature called Emergency Crash Assist. This feature will automatically notify first responders if a serious wreck is detected. The most important, and the first, step in an auto accident claim is to take care of yourself. This feature would help victims do so without lifting a finger, and could help them get the treatment they need for their injuries. Additionally, a police report is a critical piece of evidence used in proving fault in a car accident claim. When involved in a car wreck, it is important to call the police, and if you are unable to do so, this feature would do it for you.
In addition to the Car Cam, Ring is expected to release a bundle of other security products for vehicles. The founder of Ring, Jamie, published a blog in 2020 announcing the lineup. This bundle is expected to include a Ring Car Alarm and Ring Car Connect, along with the newly released Car Cam.
The Ring Car Alarm is expected to be packed with sensors that can detect bumps, break-ins, tow-aways, and attempts to open the door. Once detected, a notification will be sent to the Ring App for the users to review. Within the Ring App, the user will be able to check the car’s last known location and trigger the built-in siren if they so choose.
Newer car manufacturers have taken a step forward in vehicle protection by installing interior and exterior cameras in the design of the car. The other expected release of Ring Car Connect will allow users to connect their vehicle’s already-existing features to the Ring App, letting them monitor their car from anywhere.
Helpful but NOT a Solution
While the Ring Car Cam may be a useful tool for collecting evidence and help prove fault against those who are negligent, keep in mind that this is only one piece of a personal injury claim and isn’t a substitute for other evidence you need. If you are injured in a wreck, you should still contact law enforcement, document the scene with photos and videos using a cell phone, collect witness statements and contact information, and seek treatment for your injuries. Even with dash cam footage, car accident and big truck accident claims can be complicated, and negotiating with the insurance company by yourself may not be in your best interest. A personal injury lawyer can use the footage you recover from the wreck to your advantage and put their experience to use to get you the highest compensation possible for your case.
Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers
If you’ve been injured in a car wreck, give us a call at 800-800-4600. The initial consultation is free, and you won’t owe us anything unless we get compensation for you. We will take over all communications and negotiations with the insurance company so that you can focus on your recovery. Call now!
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