What is the best dashcam for Uber drivers?

A big worry for most PCO drivers is getting frozen out of an operator app if an unfair complaint is made against you or a car accident that was not your fault. Even a simple misunderstanding with a rider can lead to the operator (e.g. Uber) pausing your account, which keeps you off the road for days.

It’s a no-brainer to protect your income against both situations with a dashcam. However, the choice is confusing because the rules are different for private-hire drivers compared to the general motorist.

This post explains exactly how it all works and why Otto Car is able to give everyone peace-of-mind.

Why do PCO drivers use dashcams?

One reason that private hire driving is such a great way to earn a living is because regulation makes it safer for both the riders and drivers. It’s only right that all complaints are investigated properly.

Thankfully, a dashcam provides reliable video evidence of exactly what happened on the road to help resolve these problems quickly. This is why Otto Car has included cameras in all of its cars as standard for years: to give Uber drivers a voice and help them keep working safely.

How to choose a dashcam for Uber driving?

The challenge is that dashcams vary hugely both in terms of quality and also the way they capture the footage, which can cause licensing problems for PCO drivers. We cover both issues in detail below.

If you want a no-fuss option you can rely on to work as hard as you do, the good news is that Otto Car has partnered with Uber to offer a TfL-approved dashcam service to every PCO driver from £5.99 per week. The scheme was previously only available to members of the Otto family but is now open to all.

First, let’s cover some basic information about how dashcams work.

What is a dashcam?

Put simply, this is a CCTV camera in your car that automatically records the road ahead so that, in the event of an accident, there is footage. Some models also have a driver-facing camera to capture whatever happens inside the car. A few also record the rear of the vehicle, too, albeit this is less relevant to PCO drivers.

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Are dashcams allowed for Uber drivers?

Yes – but there are rules. Some regulations cover every car, while others are specific to PCO vehicles.

One general rule is that The Highway Code says a driver’s view of the road must remain unblocked. The Code describes this as any object, including mobile phones, which covers more than 40mm of the area cleaned by the windscreen wipers. This is why dashcams are fitted behind the rearview mirror.

TfL also has its own specific rules about CCTV (i.e. dashcams) for PCO drivers. These are far stricter, especially for the driver-facing cameras, because these also record the general public (i.e. riders).

For instance, there must always be clear stickers to inform the riders there is a dashcam recording them – and no audio capture, unless it’s activated by a ‘panic button’ if the driver feels threatened.

Which dashcams are approved for PCO driver

TfL rules don’t say much about the tech specs of dashcams – other than it must be an ‘approved model’ with no viewing screen. They are much clearer on how footage is stored, due to privacy laws.

The majority of consumer dashcams only record video footage onto a memory card. TfL says that these cards must remain secured inside the camera and their footage must be encrypted.

Approved dashcams also have to overwrite the older footage on a continuous loop once the card gets full. The problem is that most off-the-shelf models tend to have a 32GB card, which only records about 2-3 hours at full quality. This is not a long enough loop for a full-time PCO driver.

By contrast, Otto Car’s dashcam wirelessly uploads footage into the cloud and the recording loop lasts a full week (depending on the hours you drive). So if a rider dispute occurs, you are more likely to be covered and there is an emergency back-up drive in the car, which meets all TfL regulations.

Can Uber drivers fit a dashcam themselves?

In theory, yes. However, a PCO car will most likely fail its next PHV inspection if you do not satisfy all of these TfL rules properly. For instance, the camera must be fully secured with no loose cables – and TfL says that “temporary fixing methods such as suction cups are not be permitted”.

Unless you know what you are doing, installing a dashcam yourself is a risky idea and even many professional installers are not aware of all the TfL regulations for PCO drivers. Why take a chance?

How do I access the dashcam footage?

With a consumer dashcam (i.e. the type you buy in shops) you must look through the footage manually to find the right clips if there is a problem. Some models let you do so on a phone – and others automatically create a digital ‘flag’ if there is a physical accident. This won’t help you if it’s just a rider dispute, such as an argument.

However, Otto knows that for PCO drivers, time is money. This is why our team is on standby to give you full support every step of the way. Simply tell us the approximate time and location of an incident and we’ll find the exact footage you need and supply this packaged-up with all the right information.

This is the exact service that thousands of Otto Car drivers have enjoyed for years – and it’s now available to every PCO driver in London. Whether this is a serious insurance claim or merely helping to resolve a rider dispute, we’ve got your back. You even get a panic button to capture audio snippets.

What quality of dashcam do you need for Uber driving?

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by technical stuff and either overpay or get stuck with a bad model. The truth is that any dashcam that is TfL approved will be up to the job. In fact, models that are too high quality create their own problems. For example, cameras that shoot in 4K will fill up their memory cards faster with unnecessarily high-quality footage.

The Otto Car dashcam has two high-definition cameras that work in pretty much every type of lighting and contains many sensible features that are genuinely useful for PCO drivers:

• Ultra wide-angle 160º lenses to capture road signs
• 7-day cloud storage plus emergency backup driver
• Automatic operation whenever car is switched on
• Camera hardwired to car battery with no loose cables
• Infra-red illumination for low-light conditions

*Approx loop estimate. Exact timescale depends on driving hours.

Will I get help if there is a problem?

Yes. With Otto Car, you are never alone and you will get the same level of support as our own drivers. Solving problems is what we do best and so it’s a pleasure to welcome Uber divers into the Otto family, no matter what type of PCO car you have.

How does the Otto Car Dashcam scheme work?

All London PCO drivers can join this scheme from just £5.99 per week, with only a £25 upfront installation fee to secure the booking. You can cancel the whole arrangement with 30-days notice.

Before we finish, let’s quickly recap on the main benefits of the dashcam scheme.

• Protect your income 24/7
• Fully TfL-approved service
• Expert installation with signage stickers
• Swap dashcam between PCO cars for free**
• Otto Car support to resolve rider disputes
• Free downloads of dashcam footage***

** One free car change is allowed per year.
*** Up to five downloads per year. After that, a small fair-usage fee applies.

To book an appointment at our Shepherd Bush hub click here or see the Otto Car FAQ for details.