Tesla Expands Dashcam Recording to Retain 24 Hours of Footage

Taylor Keatsman

Published: February 3, 2026 4:40 PM ET

Tesla has made a significant upgrade to its Dashcam feature, expanding the recording capacity from one hour to a dynamic range based on the size of the connected USB drive. This development aims to enhance video retention for users, addressing long-standing frustrations related to footage overwriting.

Tesla Expands Dashcam Recording to Retain 24 Hours of Footage

Historically, Tesla’s Dashcam function retained only the last 60 minutes of driving footage, regardless of the storage capacity of the connected USB device. With this update, the vehicle’s recording duration can now exceed one hour, promoting greater usability and reducing lost footage.

How Dynamic Recording Works

The new dynamic recording feature adjusts the length of retained footage based on the available storage of the USB drive. Key benchmarks include:

128GB Drive: Retains approximately 3 hours of footage.
1TB Drive or Larger: Retains up to 24 hours of footage.

This enhancement allows Tesla owners, especially those using larger drives, to benefit from an extended retention period before the data gets overwritten. Even small drives offer a significant upgrade, with the 3-hour limit being three times more than the previous constraint.

Key Advantages of the Update

This feature benefits users on extended road trips by enabling them to retain crucial video evidence, even long after the event.
The system is optimized for larger drives, leading to less frequent data overwriting.
In case of incidents, users can access video footage up to 24 hours later, increasing the chances of capturing necessary information.

For best performance, it’s essential that 1TB drives fulfill Tesla’s requirement of at least 4 MB/s sustained write speed to avoid data corruption. Quality SSD options, such as the Samsung T7, are recommended for longevity and performance.

Reason Behind the Upgrade

The previous one-hour limit was a result of various factors, including privacy regulations and the processing capabilities of earlier Tesla models. However, advancements in Tesla’s AI and hardware have opened the door for superior data management. This update reflects Tesla’s commitment to enhancing its technology and rewarding users who invest in higher-capacity drives.

Supported Vehicles and Launch Timeline

The specifics of which vehicles will support the dynamic recording duration are yet to be fully confirmed. Some older models with Intel Atom processors may not benefit from the new feature. The rollout has already begun in China for internal employees, and it will soon be accessible to other regions as part of a broader software update.

This expansion of Tesla’s Dashcam capabilities represents a significant improvement in how users can capture and retain crucial driving footage. As this feature becomes available globally, Tesla continues to affirm its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.