My two contacts at GM say work is underway, but obviously they could not provide sensitive schedule information. This function involves a complex architecture including the vehicle hardware (present in the Optiq), vehicle software, cloud connectivity, cloud processing and storage, and app implementation. GM will clearly do extensive testing before this is released and available, but the public has no insight into how far along they are.

 

To the OP’s point, a few years back — in NJ, what are the odds — someone rear-ended me on the highway. I sent three video clips to USAA with my claim: (1) me stopping successfully to avoid the debris a truck had strewn across multiple lanes of the highway just ahead of me and others, (2) the idiot behind me reacting late and skidding into my rear quarter, and (3) the idiot fleeing the scene and almost running into a highway sign in the process. My claim was approved In minutes.

 

I ran across this YouTube video. It's for Chevrolet but you get the picture.

 

I'm really hoping that you can skip the subscription if you don't want cloud accessibility. Just save it all to a USB drive and I'll take that thing to a computer if I need footage.

 

That would be nice, but it's unlikely this will be an option in the Optiq (although I hope it is).

 

It's been 3 months since this discussion and still nothing but crickets from Cadillac. Disappointing that it's taking this long but I guess it's time to install a rudimentary dash cam.
Maybe I was expecting too much but I really was expecting better. than this.

The video that PJL presented that was posted over a year ago says, "This is how it works" at one point. No it does not.

 

Please don't blame that on me.

And the Connected Camera feature seems to be missing from the vehicle safety description in the 2026 Optiq build pages like it is for the 2025.

 

Not blaming that on you at all! When this thread started I was going to post that same video but you beat me to it.😅
Only saving grace here is that MAYBE when I get my next car in 2027 maybe, just maybe, they'll have it available.

I DID really expect better from Cadillac though. Why announce a new feature and put it on the window sticker when it seems to be nothing but vapourware.

 

I must say I do find it strange that my 2023 CT5 had a Video Recorder that saved all four cameras on a SD card in the trunk and the Optiq has nothing. I could play back all the videos on my car screen or on my computer. Does Cadillac not know how to transfer one years technology to the following year? I do miss that ability in my new Optiq.

Also as long as I am complaining I do miss the lights under the Driver's and Passenger Seats. I find the rear seat area to not be very well-lit at night!

 

Cadillac (GM) made the decision to change the design and it's functionality, more in line with some other manufactures (a cloud-based solution). I just wish they would get on with implementing this new solution. Technology does move on.

 

Cadillac (GM) made the decision to...

...monetize this feature. 😕

 

They can't just not provide it, right? Not without some compensation to buyers that bought the product partly on the promise made on the window sticker.

 

It's been a while since I checked but I recall seeing the app that records cams locally as being installed in the car base android OS, but its disabled and I could not get it to enable. It may have provided a base of video libraries for the new connected cam system to leverage, or just been an old placeholder, or just sloppy coding, lol

Anyway I wish they would enable it, or let us use the generic Google app in the meantime.

 

i was just watching a youtube video review of the 2026 Optiq V, and it showed the Boschcam app installed. Some quick googling showed this is an Android Automotive app that lets manufacturers use the existing cameras as dashcams. I am assuming this is a Alpha or Beta preview of the Caddy connected cam feature. I noticed they are running a test build in the video as there is also a bug report app. Soo... nothing coming immediately, but it at least means they are working on it if it is in the 2026 testers they are using for reviews.

 

Fingers crossed that this moves forward but you'll have to excuse me if I'm sceptical. Thanks for posting the video and good catch on even seeing that as it goes by pretty quick.

 

It's interesting that the Cadillac.com web site (in the Build & Buy section) does not include the Connected Camera feature for either the 2026 Optiq or the 2026 Optiq V in the list of features, although it does for the 2025 Optiq. Not that I trust the list. It still includes "Illuminated front and rear door sill plates." I'm still searching for the rear ones in my Optiq. Nope, they're not there... 😁 😉😉

 

are any of the built in USB ports capable of receiving data streams down from the car, or are they dumb "charge only" ports?

 

Not sure what you mean by data stream down. I'm assuming writing to the USB drive which I don't think is enabled. However, these ports are not dumb. You can play your music files from the drive and technician use the same ports for updating the system.

 

The two in the lower dash are data ports. When a USB drive is inserted and accessed Android writes files to the drive so they do "receive" data.

 

And just to be crystal clear because some of the folks here in the forum are not super tech savvy, when you buy a USB-C charging cable on Amazon or Best Buy or wherever, some of those charging cables are exactly that -- charging cables. They will not transfer data. If you want a data transfer cable, read the whole description. Sometimes the sellers don't make it very clear.

 

The better method for using a USB flash drive is to plug it directly into the port, not via a cable.

 

Unless your SSD came with a cable. I bought a right angle adapter so it doesn't stick out and so some klutz doesn't break it off.

I love the way the light changes from blue to white when your hand is in the cubby. That's a really nice touch.

 

Bob, what type of drive is that? It doesn't look like a USB Flash Drive which normally look like this:

 

It's an SSD just the big brother of a flash drive.

 

Winner! 😅
Yeah it's a Samsung T7 1TB portable SSD. Quite happy the way it works, downloaded all the Dolby Atmos music on to it that I could find.

I think we're getting a little off topic...

 

Thought so. I use the very low profile USB flash drive in the photo that only sticks out less than one inch which is enough for kkutz protection. It took me awhile to find the smallest I could and it's blue to match the interior. 😁

 

Out of interest what do you guys use them for, given the sentry mode/camera recorder doesn't work. Old school downloaded MP3s?

 

No, not MP3s. I downloaded m4a files that are Dolby Atmos encoded music.

 

It's simply a third source of music, some of which may not available on Tidal or Amazon Music Unlimited.

 

As I mentioned above, the drive is written to by the Android operating system when it is inserted. A folder with some system files is written to the drive. So yes, writing to a drive is active. No current apps use this functionality.