Overnight it has been found that Google launched an internal testing build referred to as a "dogfood" build of its Personal Safety app to the Play Store. Within this new build a new feature has been found which gives Pixel owners the ability to use the device as a dashcam.
The build number of the Personal Safety app, version 2023.04.27.532191641.8-dogfood, contains a feature within the "Be Prepared" section of the home tab of the app labelled "Dashcam." Upon selecting this feature, it goes through setup screens which give options such as enabling or disabling audio, and launching automatically when connecting to vehicle bluetooth.
The key details of the feature are that it allows for recording up to 24 hours per video, or until recording is manually stopped, in the background. The videos that are saved are compressed to save space, and Google lists the average video size as 30 MB per minute. It also has a responsibility section covering usage of devices on the road and what you do with the footage that you have recorded.
The settings also allow for a timeframe to be set for how long the device keeps recorded video saved, with the default setting to delete any footage being "After 3 days". When reviewing any recorded videos, a standard share sheet is presented to the user as well as a delete button.
Overall, the feature appears to be almost complete and ready to launch, however, no timeframe has been provided at present for when this will be made generally available to all.
Source: 9to5Google
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