Automotive tech leader opens Nextbase Labs, the first center for engineering excellence dedicated to connected car research and dash cam development
Technical team grows nearly threefold in two years and investment since 2020 increases 320% as part of major expansion and product initiative
Developed by Nextbase Labs, forthcoming Nextbase iQ – named among TIME Best Inventions for 2022 and Best of CES 2023 – is world’s first aftermarket connected-car platform, creating new consumer electronics category
Nextbase iQ will start under $500 and make any vehicle safer, smarter, and more secure, complementing existing Series 2 Dash Cam line
LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Nextbase — the world’s leading dash cam brand — officially opened Nextbase Labs, a unique global research and development center dedicated to connected car technology with dash cams as the cornerstone of its engineering and product development. The Wales, UK-based facility, which more than quadruples the brands’ research and development footprint, is part of a significant company expansion as Nextbase scales up for its largest product launch to date, the award-winning Nextbase iQ.
Nextbase Labs, the first center for engineering excellence dedicated to connected car research and dash cam development.
“Global demand for dash cams is exploding, and our mission to bring to all drivers the smart, connected technology they are used to enjoying in their homes has never been more timely,” said Richard Browning, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer for Nextbase. “Nextbase Dash Cams is at a point of inflection. The business is preparing for a step-change with the launch of iQ, a product that will easily beat anything currently on the market and will continue to evolve through over-the-air updates to deliver the world’s first aftermarket connected car platform. Nextbase Labs and our significant increase in R&D investment and staffing is all designed to make that happen.”
In addition to christening Nextbase Labs, the company has also expanded the size of its technical workforce by 280% since 2021, and engineering and R&D investment has increased by 320% since 2020 as the company plans to launch more than three dozen new products in the next two years in pursuit of 345% revenue growth by 2027.
“After years of dominance in the UK and Europe, strong growth in North America and successful expansion into new markets with our award winning Series 2 product in Asia and Oceania, we are poised to democratize smart driver safety and vehicle security, making advanced connected technology – on par or even better than that offered on the most expensive, tech-forward new cars – available to everyone, regardless of the age, type or value of their vehicle,” said Browning.
A pioneer of mobile video technology for more than two decades, Nextbase has amassed more than 228 patents including pending, design rights and protection. Revenue has grown 150% in just the past four years. Alongside the brand’s new London headquarters and offices in USA, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, and China, Nextbase Labs will serve as a vertically integrated product-development compound, focusing on hardware and software engineering, design, UX, App development, as well as providing in-house technical support for Nextbase customers.
Nextbase Labs adds expertise including an AI innovation team, connected services and data teams, all under one roof. It is also home to Nextbase’s full-motion crash-testing suite, the only-known dash cam crash testing facility, a key validator of the brand’s patented Click&Go Pro mount and a critical step in the design of the award winning Series 2 Dash Cams and new Nextbase iQ. There will even be a renewal center where in-house techs will service previously purchased dash cams, giving them a second life as Nextbase Renewed, reducing global consumer electronics waste.
The Nextbase iQ will be available this summer with pricing starting under $500. Combining as many as three cameras (up to 4K resolution) with remote 4G IoT Cellular connectivity from almost anywhere in the world through the Nextbase iQ app, as well as the latest AI-powered technology, car owners will have access to lifesaving, connected features such as Witness Mode and Emergency SOS, and remote security features such as Nextbase iQ’s Smart Sense Parking — featuring unique proximity-sensing Spatial Awareness technology that detects events (e.g., break-ins or vandalism) before they happen.
Every Nextbase dash cam, from entry level models to the award-winning 622GW and the forthcoming fully connected iQ, is designed and engineered to exacting standards to reliably capture crystal clear video evidence, saving drivers time and money. Nextbase Labs tests every model to ensure its image quality, performance and value meet or exceed any competitors in their class.
For more information on the Nextbase iQ, visit www.Nextbase.com/iq-experience.
ABOUT NEXTBASE DASH CAMS:Nextbase is a global leader in dash cam technology with more than 55% market share in Europe. The brand is also at the head of its category in North America just two years after introduction to the marketplace. Invented and perfected by technical aviation engineers, experienced in rigorous demands and testing expectations, Nextbase is dedicated to transcending the dash cam category, bringing high-quality dash cams that are backed, supported and tested by a team of technical engineers who always have the driver and safety of the road top of mind. Nextbase can be found in more than 8,100 retail locations in North America and Canada including Best Buy, Best Buy Canada, Walmart, and Amazon. Additionally, Nextbase offers a broad range of solutions for consumer, fleet and automotive manufacturers including Lexus, Toyota, Hyundai and more. To learn more, visit www.Nextbase.com/en-us/ and follow along on Instagram at @Nextbase.
SOURCE Nextbase Dash Cams
