Vezo 360 — the ‘smart dashcam’ to keep drivers awake at the wheel

With more than 330,000 accidents caused by drowsy driving every year in the US alone, a Korea-based tech startup has launched a smart 360-degree dashcam to keep drivers awake at the wheel.

ArVizon’s Vezo 360 has internal AI machine learning that can detect signs of drowsiness and alert drivers so they perk up. It is also the only dual-lens dashcam capable of shooting 4K video in 360 degrees, and also has the ability to work as an action cam and with 4G LTE connectivity.

ArVizon

Tesla’s recent announcement that its cars’ upcoming ‘Sentry Mode’ feature will include a 360-degree dashcam has prompted new interest in the technology. 360-degree dashcams like the Vezo 360 record footage with a view out every window as well as the car’s interior, bringing greater fidelity of evidence in case of a collision and acting as a crime deterrent when the car is parked. And thanks to its LTE connection, Vezo 360 can show drivers live video from their cars when tampering is detected.

Samsung has also begun developing a drowsiness detection telematics solution. But it usually takes a few years for telematics concepts to make it into actual vehicles, and unlike the Vezo360, it can’t be installed in existing cars.

With 7 per cent of all automobile accidents and 16 per cent of fatal crashes in the US every year being caused by driver drowsiness, ArVizon aims to set new standards in automotive security by ensuring Vezo owners don’t become another statistic.

Vezo 360’s proprietary technology constantly tracks the driver’s eyes and mouth and is smart enough to recognise and monitor the different levels of drowsiness and respond with corresponding levels of alarm intensity.

Vezo 360’s 4K resolution makes it valuable for security, as it can make out car license plates and other details at far greater distances, but it also has uses beyond security. The dashcam has a magnetic mount that allows it to be easily removed from the car.

This is immensely useful for recording evidence in an emergency situation, but it also allows Vezo to function as an Internet-connected action cam by mounting on a tripod or other external mounts.

“We really want people to think of the Vezo 360 as a camera that goes everywhere with you, not just a dashcam for your car,” said ArVizon CEO Mr Vivek Soni. “It’s a smart device that can be used in a number of different ways: As a dash cam, as an action cam, and as a camera to share parts of your trip. We hope that Vezo will make life more secure and more enjoyable at the same time.”

In addition to the features above, Vezo can connect to the Internet via 4G and Wi-Fi, and to your phone via Bluetooth. This means in the event of an accident or break-in, footage uploads automatically to the cloud and Vezo sends a notification to the driver’s phone. It also means that Vezo’s mobile app can provide instant access to a live stream of the driver’s car. A built-in GPS chip allows Vezo to show drivers where they parked in real time.

In the future, ArVizon plans to introduce a fleet version of Vezo with special features for companies that manage multiple vehicles and drivers.

The Vezo 360 dashcam is crowdfunding now on Kickstarter until May 4. There are two models for sale — one with AI and instant notifications, and one without.

ArVizon is a hardware company that produces ‘smart’ automotive solutions. They are incorporated in South Korea, and have offices in South Korea and the US. Their CEO, Mr Soni, has a Masters of Science in Electronics Engineering and a background in research and development in the field of autonomous driving. Vezo 360 is ArVizon’s first product, and they have a number of future smart automotive accessory products planned for development in the future.