BlackboxMyCar | Dash Cam Installation into a 2025 BMW M4 Competition x BlackVue DR970X-2CH Plus + PC8

The first step in installing a dash cam is deciding where to mount it. For the M4, we decided to place it on the passenger side; this way, the camera is hidden from the driver by the stem of the rearview mirror, while the body is shaded by the dot-matrix from the sun and passers-by. BlackVue’s sleek and discrete design makes it fit neatly onto the windshield of this beamer, barely noticeable without a keen eye.

Ensure to check the camera’s live-view to ensure the best viewing angle since the BlackVue is screenless. This is done through the BlackVue App, which can seamlessly connect to your phone in seconds. Once the right spot has been decided, wipe down the area with a basic windshield cleaner, both the outside and inside, to ensure that the view is unobstructed, and the adhesive sticks well.

To mount the camera, simply peel the adhesive cover and firmly hold it in place for a few moments until it adheres properly. With the easy part done, hardwiring the dash cam battery pack is next.

Like many BMWs, the BMW M4's fusebox is a bit unconventional. This is because there isn’t one in the front as is typical, so we’ll be wiring all the way back in the trunk, where there’s a fusebox tucked behind some panelling on the passenger side. This means we’ll have to remove some panelling. Given how advanced the 2025 M4 is, including the latest BMW Curved Display with iDrive 8.5, which offers more advanced touch and voice controls than the previous system in the 2024 M3, we aren’t surprised that it can be a bit challenging to tap into such a system.

The silver lining is that since we’re in the trunk already, it’s an ideal place to put the battery pack, right beneath the fusebox, which can be conveniently slid underneath a storage container of the BMW, fully invisible to the driver. Using the two included velcro straps, the battery should be safe and secure, so we’ll start running the hardwire kit from this battery location to the fusebox. Leaving most of the panelling around the fusebox intact, we can actually fish all of our cabling underneath, starting with the hardwiring kit from the battery pack to the fusebox.

Now that we’re at the fusebox, there are a few things to look out for. Primarily, delayed ACC fuses are fuses that are not proper constant power connections—they continue to operate for approximately 15 minutes after the vehicle is turned off. To avoid delayed ACC fuses, use a circuit tester to test the fuse you intend to use both when you turn off the vehicle, and 15 minutes after the vehicle has been left off, with access to the fusebox left open. Small actions such as opening the door, turning on the headlights, or pressing buttons on your car keys can trigger delayed ACC fuses to be “tripped” again, needing you to wait all over again.

This will present more of an issue for a standard dash cam connection, but since we’re wiring a battery pack, we only need to wire to a single standard ACC connection rated between 20A and 30A. Once found, we’ll use an add-a-fuse included with the PowerCell 8 to piggyback off the proper fuse. For more advice on hardwiring for a dash cam, check out our hardwiring guide here.

Next, bundle the hardwire kit with electrical tape and stow it away in the vehicle's frame. Since we’re connecting a BlackVue dash cam to this battery pack, we’ll use a cigarette socket output connector for the battery pack and fish the cigarette lighter adapter for the BlackVue camera underneath the vehicle's frame in the same way as the battery hardwire kit. We’ll have to wire this cigarette lighter adapter from the trunk, all the way to the front camera.

To effectively wire the dash cam from the trunk to the front of the vehicle, it's crucial to ensure the cable is long enough to cover the distance. Various routing options are available, so if one approach doesn’t work, try another. Initially, we attempted to run the cable along the floorboards, but it was slightly too short due to the camera’s position. Instead, routing the cable along the top frame on the passenger side provided sufficient length (15 feet/4.5 meters).

To exit the trunk, route the cigarette lighter adapter cable along the trunk frame to the foldable seat on the passenger side. With the seat folded, tuck the cable under the seat cushion and lining, leading up to the C-pillar.

Unlike most C-pillars, which pop off, the M4’s C-pillars need to be unscrewed. Use a pry tool to slide in 2 cables: the cigarette lighter adapter for power and the front-and-rear connection. Both cables will continue to the B and A-pillars at the front, with one end of the rear cable sticking out the rear side of the C-Pillar to connect to the rear camera later.

Following the frame, it should be smooth sailing along the B and A-pillars, using the pry tool to ensure that both cables fit tidily into the tight European frame. Much like the C-pillar, the A-pillar will also need to be unscrewed so we can wire up it. Make sure you wire around or behind the airbag. Now that we’re at the headliner of the front windshield, we can easily peel it back to tuck in the cable until we reach the front camera.

Now that we’re wired to the front camera, we can finish up with the rear camera. Since this is a standard Sedan, things are rather simple from the C-Pillar onwards, just following the trim to the center of the rear windshield. Find a nice spot that isn’t blocked or on top of any defroster lines, while checking the camera live-view to make sure. Wipe down the exterior and interior with a windshield cleaner, peel the protective film from the mount, and firmly hold it in place.

4K UHD Resolution | Sony STARVIS 2 | Advanced Parking Modes | BlackVue Cloud Connectivity

Fresh from the oven, the upgraded BlackVue DR970X-2CH Plus now boasts an 8MP Sony STARVIS 2 IMX 678 image sensor for its front camera, improved by an upgraded SigmaStar CPU and Image Processing Software. With three times quicker shutter speed, the DR970X Plus delivers sharper footage, even on busy roads and highways.

Be it configuring the different audio notifications, connecting seamlessly through Bluetooth, or remote notifications through the cloud, BlackVue has you covered. With an optional CM100LTE connectivity module add-on, which you can insert a SIM card directly into, providing an internet connection for the camera whenever it’s operational. Simply connect the CM100LTE to your BlackVue dash cam to provide an always-on 4G LTE connection to the BlackVue Cloud and its suite of unique live features.