Amazon is investing heavily in auto security. At its presentation on September 24, 2020, the firm unveiled three Ring-branded automobile products. It includes an alarm, a Ring car cam, and an aftermarket product called Ring Car Connect. They will incorporate some of these monitoring functions into the actual automobiles. Additionally, Ring Car Connect has a software API.
These items are still not available. However, Amazon reports that there is a significant demand from car users who want to install the same Ring security features inside their cars as they do in their houses. Here is everything we currently know about them.
The Car Alarm, which costs $59.99, is the less expensive of the two tangible objects. It is simply an OBDII dongle that is made to be permanently inserted into the OBDII port on your automobile.
What you will see here?
Ring Car Connect
Consider Ring Car Connect as a means to incorporate the software for Ring Car Alarm as well as Ring Car Cam into a car that already has interior or around-view cameras. However, until that time, interested car owners may buy a separate, aftermarket $199 gadget. These gadgets effectively allow similar functionalities within automobiles. Car manufacturers are free to implement Ring Car Connect in their cars as they wish.
For instance, all four of Tesla’s current model-range vehicles may be equipped with Ring Car Connect. Also, in addition to Sentry Mode. Owners can access the feed using Ring applications while Sentry Mode is active.
On other devices, they will also be able to see the recorded driving footage. However, it’s important to note that, similar to the Ring Car Cam, you will need to pay a monthly charge to transfer your data to the cloud over LTE.
Ring Car Cam
This is a surveillance camera for your automobile, not a dash cam. The $199.99 gadget, which will function similarly to Ring’s inside security cameras, will not have any photos. It will record whenever your car is parked and watch for bumps or attempted break-ins.
The Ring app will notify you when something is detected. Afterward, you can see the live video through LTE or Wi-Fi or view historical footage. Obviously, the latter approach requires a different data plan.
According to Ring, the gadget will include a built-in siren, two HD cameras, and the ability to track your car via an app.
The Emergency Crash Assist safety function on the Car Cam is available when you’re driving. Similar to the Nextbase dash cams, this contacts emergency personnel and gives them the position of the car if a significant collision is detected. The driver or any riders don’t need to make the call because it happens automatically.
Ring Car Alarm
When it senses a tow, break-in, or an accident, the OBD-II Ring Car Alarm rings. If any of those things happen, you’ll be alerted via another Alexa-compatible gadget. Also, you can even manually set off the alarm from a distance if you’d like.
You might be curious about how the Ring Car Alarm can connect to other gadgets like Ring Car Cam. As it turns out, the OBD-II dongle depends on Amazon’s Sidewalk network of Bluetooth Low Energy devices. This is yet to be launched rather than a data connection or even Wi-Fi. Future Ring and Echo devices from Amazon are likely to have Sidewalk as a core component. Although it was first promised to go online by the end of 2020, it is already 2022 and there is still no trace.
As a result, there are no monthly fees associated with the Ring Car Alarm. Customers will only be required to pay the device’s $59 price, according to this.
Amazon Sidewalk
Some functionalities, according to Ring, need Amazon Sidewalk, a “shared network” that Amazon will be releasing soon at no cost to users.
According to Amazon, the system would make use of current Ring and Amazon devices to transmit a signal through Bluetooth or utilize a 900MHz frequency that can go up to half a mile. Devices like the Car Alarm, smart outdoor lighting, and Tile trackers will be able to stay connected even when they are barely within range of the home’s Wi-Fi.
Can one install a Ring Camera in a car?
However, until the announcement of Ring Car Cam, interested car owners may buy a separate, aftermarket $199 gadget that effectively allows similar functionalities within automobiles. Car manufacturers are free to implement Ring Car Connect in their cars as they wish.
Can Ring cameras keep watch on you?
This is conceivable as a result of the lack of encryption in the data transfer between the Ring device and its app. Therefore, anyone with the necessary skills may simply hack your Ring device and spy on you as well as anyone who enters or exits your home. They may potentially steal your Wi-Fi password.
Conclusion
It was just a point of time until Amazon launched a push like this, using the power of the Alexa technology and footprint for auto security, given the rising popularity of dash cameras and Ring. It’s also heartening to see that the business has decided to provide clients with two alternatives, one with more reasonable pricing and another with a fully comprehensive feature set.
A brief look at the top-selling contenders on Amazon shows that $199 for a dash cam is unquestionably costly. Despite this, many of the businesses in this industry are relatively unknown, and the more expensive solutions from well-known brands like Garmin and Vava wind up costing at least as much as Amazon’s suggestion.
