Parking Mode is one of the best reasons to own a dash cam at all. It keeps your camera watching long after you have switched off and walked away, capturing trolley dings, hit-and-runs and break-ins while your car sits unattended in a car park or on the street. This guide explains exactly how dash cam parking mode works, from motion and impact detection to time lapse and low-power buffered recording, so you come back to proof rather than a mystery dent.

The big question is always power, and we tackle it head on: how a hardwire kit with a voltage cut-off protects your car battery, when a dedicated battery pack makes more sense, and what it takes to set parking mode up properly. Ideal for anyone who parks on the street overnight or leaves the car all day at work. Read on for straight-talking, Australian-focused advice, or browse the parking-mode-ready cameras below.