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Car Cameras

Detailed vehicle camera instructions

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Even footage that seems unimportant to you, could mean the world to us.
If you find some footage, please do not edit or change it. Preserve it as is and reach out to us here and we’ll give you instructions to share it with us and law enforcement.

General rule: a vehicle having cameras does not automatically mean it saved footage. Owners should check the actual app, USB drive, SD card, built-in recorder, and any downloaded/saved clips. If the car has an aftermarket dashcam, check that system too.

Tesla – Model S / 3 / X / Y / Cybertruck

  • In the vehicle, open Dashcam Viewer or the Dashcam/Sentry viewer if available and check clips by date/time.
  • Remove the Tesla USB drive. On many newer Model 3/Y vehicles it is in the glovebox USB port; on some older vehicles it may be in the center console. Model S/X and Cybertruck owners should check the owner manual or storage USB location in the car.
  • Plug the USB into a computer. Open TeslaCam. Check RecentClips, SavedClips, and SentryClips.
  • Copy the entire relevant date folder(s) to a new folder before opening, trimming, or renaming anything. RecentClips may be overwritten quickly; saved/Sentry clips depend on storage size and whether they were deleted.
  • Do not tap Format USB, Delete Dashcam Clips, or anything similar until files are copied.

Rivian – R1T / R1S / Gear Guard / Drive Cam / Motion Cam

  • In the vehicle, open Gear Guard and check Clips, Incidents, Motion Cam, and Drive Cam/Road Cam if enabled.
  • Check any external USB-C drive used for Road Cam/Drive Cam. If an external drive was used, remove it only after the vehicle says it is safe, then copy all relevant files on a computer.
  • If clips are only viewable in the vehicle/app, use the built-in save/download/share option if available and keep the original download. Rivian generally requires owner access/consent for Gear Guard videos.
  • Check parking events and motion events as well as drive recordings.

BMW – Drive Recorder

  • In iDrive, look for Apps or Drive Recorder. Check automatic recordings, manual recordings, and accident/event recordings.
  • Insert a USB drive into the media USB port if export is offered, then export/download stored Drive Recorder clips.
  • Some BMW systems store a limited number of clips, so check whether old clips were exported previously to a USB drive, phone, or computer.
  • Model year, iDrive version, subscription, and equipment package change availability.

Mercedes-Benz – MBUX Dashcam / GUARD 360 / Parking Damage Detection

  • In the MBUX screen, look for Dashcam or video recording settings. Check manual, automatic, and loop recordings.
  • Check the USB storage device used by Dashcam. Copy the relevant raw files from the USB to a computer before editing.
  • If GUARD 360 or parking damage detection is active, check alerts, saved events, Mercedes me app notifications, and in-vehicle stored footage.
  • Availability varies heavily by model, region, package, and subscription.

GM – Chevrolet / GMC / Cadillac Surround Vision Recorder or Performance Data Recorder

  • For Surround Vision Recorder, check the vehicle video recorder/playback menu and the USB drive used for recording.
  • For Corvette/Cadillac Performance Data Recorder, check the SD card used by PDR. Remove it and copy the original video files to a computer.
  • Some systems record only while the vehicle is on or in limited loops, so also check any prior exports/backups on a computer.

Toyota / Lexus – Integrated Dashcam / Drive Recorder

  • Check the Toyota or Lexus dashcam/drive recorder app, vehicle multimedia screen, and any integrated dashcam microSD card.
  • If there is a removable microSD card, power down safely, remove it, and copy the full relevant date/time folders to a computer.
  • Check incident/event, parking, and manual clips, not just normal driving clips.
  • Availability varies by model, model year, trim, accessory installation, and app version.

Hyundai / Kia / Genesis – Built-in Cam / Built-in Cam 2

  • Check the vehicle screen for Built-in Cam or Built-in Cam 2. Review driving, parking, and event clips by date/time.
  • Check the built-in cam app if paired, plus any removable storage such as USB, microSD, or external memory.
  • Export/download clips from the vehicle/app or copy files directly from storage when supported.
  • This feature is market/model/package dependent; many vehicles with cameras do not have recording enabled.

Lucid Gravity – Drive Recorder

  • Check the Drive Recorder feature in the vehicle. Review manual saves and automatic event saves such as collision/hard-braking/honking-style events if available.
  • Use the vehicle export/download process or storage device process shown by the vehicle. Keep the first downloaded file untouched.
  • Older Lucid models may not have the same feature set, so owners should check the exact model and software version.

Polestar 4 – Dashcam app

  • Open the dashcam app in the vehicle and check the target dates/times.
  • Check the required memory card used by the dashcam. Copy relevant original files from the card to a computer.
  • Availability is model-specific; do not assume all Polestars have this function.

Ford – Ford dashcam accessory / Ford Pro dashcam / commercial vehicles

  • Check whether the vehicle has a Ford accessory dashcam, Ford Pro Telematics Dashcam, fleet dashcam, or another installed camera system.
  • Check the dashcam app, fleet portal, SD card, cloud account, or installer account. Download/export original clips and preserve metadata when available.
  • Normal Ford driver-assist cameras usually do not mean footage is saved for the owner.

Aftermarket dashcams – Garmin, BlackVue, Thinkware, Nextbase, Vantrue, VIOFO, Rexing, Cobra, Road Angel, etc.

  • Open the dashcam app and search by date/time; also check protected/event/parking/emergency folders.
  • Remove the microSD card if safe. On a computer, copy the entire DCIM, Movie, Event, Parking, RO, Emergency, or Protected folder before playing files.
  • For cloud-connected models such as some BlackVue/Thinkware/Garmin setups, also check the cloud app/account and prior phone downloads.
  • If the camera has front/rear/interior channels, send all angles from the same time window.