Tesla Enhances Dashcam Recording Duration, Storing Up to 24 Hours of Footage

Tesla drivers have long been frustrated by the one-hour limit on dashcam footage storage. Regardless of the size of the USB drive used, the vehicle would only retain the last 60 minutes of driving footage before overwriting it. This limitation is finally being addressed in an upcoming software update in China.

Dynamic Recording Feature

The new dynamic recording feature will adjust the recording duration based on the storage capacity of the connected USB drive. For example, a 128GB drive will now store up to 3 hours of footage, while a 1TB drive can hold up to 24 hours of video. This change allows users to retain footage for a longer period before it is overwritten.

Advantages of the Update

Owners with larger drives will benefit the most from this update, as the vehicle will now take advantage of the increased storage capacity and overwrite data less frequently. This means that even incidents that were not immediately noticed can be reviewed up to 24 hours later. It is recommended to use a high-quality SSD with a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s to prevent footage corruption.

Reason Behind the Change

Tesla’s decision to increase dashcam storage duration is likely due to advancements in MCU technology, allowing for higher data throughput. By linking recording duration to drive size, Tesla is rewarding owners who invest in premium SSDs.

Supported Vehicles and Release Date

It is unclear which vehicles and regions will support the dynamic recording feature. The update has started rolling out to employees in China, with a wider release expected in the near future. Stay tuned for more information on when the feature will be available in other regions.