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Does Ring Doorbell Detect Cars?

Whether a Ring doorbell detects cars or not can affect different users differently. Some people want their Ring doorbells to detect it, and some don’t base on their preferences. So, one common question among Ring users or potential ring users is- does Ring doorbell detect cars?

Even though it depends on a lot of factors, Ring doorbells will capture moving cars if they’re inside the camera’s motion detection range. The factors affecting this include the motion sensitivity level of the camera, lighting, camera angle, internet connection, etc.

Let’s have a deeper look at this issue.

Does Ring Doorbell Detect Cars?

When moving cars comes within the frame of your camera, it will detect them. Some users have reported that their Ring doorbells keep recording moving cars which they don’t want. On the contrary, some people have wanted to record the cars going on the street, but their Ring devices didn’t record anything.

To understand why these users are experiencing different things with the same device, you have to go through the factors that affect the motion detection ability of the doorbell. So, let’s take a look at them.

Camera Placement

Where you’re installing your camera is a huge part of whether it will record passing cars or not. How far can a Ring doorbell see also determines the motion detection capability of the device? If the road is within 30 feet of the camera, it will record the activity.

Ring suggests that you don’t install the device too high from the ground. The optimal height is 48 inches. If you go higher than that, the camera will likely record the cars passing through the street.

Motion zone is not the only thing at work here. If the street isn’t directly accessible by the camera, you may get recordings but not useful footage. The glare from the car’s headlight can also interfere with the recording.

In case you want to record passing cars, make sure that the camera covers the street. Also, the street should be within the reachable zone for the camera to record useful videos. On the contrary, if you want to avoid recording cars, position the camera accordingly.

Internet Connection

You may already know that Ring doorbells are no good without an internet connection. Whether the camera will detect and record cars depend on the internet too. If for some reason, the connection is severed, you will not get any recording from passing cars.

Users have reported that their Ring devices sometimes fail to capture large cars. One common reason why this must have happened is a weak internet connection.

Anytime you miss an important incident not recorded and kept safe in the cloud, make sure to check the Wi-Fi connection and troubleshoot it as needed.

Lighting

Even though the Ring doorbell can detect motion up to 30 feet away from the camera, the lighting is a large factor here. You can’t expect the same level of sensitivity to motions at night compared to daylight.

So, if you want to ensure that the camera records cars at night, you have to offer sufficient lighting in the hallway. The streetlights will do the rest for you.

Motion Sensitivity

You can adjust the motion sensitivity of the doorbell by tweaking the settings on your app. It depends on your preference for notification. Ring website provides clear instructions on how you can change the settings.

Utilizing motion detection will allow you to get more or fewer notifications from your doorbell. This is perfect for both those who want to record cars and those who don’t.

How To Disable Accidental Motion Alerts

Ring doorbells have multiple options that you can utilize to keep the alerts to a minimum. The sensitivity of the motion sensors can be annoying for some people. The good news is, you can adjust some settings to fix this issue.

• Adjust the motion detection frequency. You can set it to periodically, frequently, or regularly.
• Another setting you can try to eliminate unwanted alerts is scheduled time for turning off the alerts. This is perfect if you don’t want notifications for a certain period. You can select a customized time to turn off the notifications and a time to turn them back on.
• You will also find a snooze option on your Ring app. This will allow you to keep the alerts off from forty minutes up to four hours.
• Ring devices can distinguish between people and objects. So, if you don’t want notifications from passing cars, you can configure the smart alert. This way, you will only get alerts when a person is inside the frame.
• Decrease the motion sensitivity in the Ring app. The lower the sensitivity, the fewer notifications you will get.
• You can also edit the motion zones according to your preference. This will help you avoid passing cars if you live right up the street.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why isn’t my Ring camera picking up cars?

Check the sensitivity level on your Ring app. When this is set to a lower level, it may not detect cars. The advanced features of a Ring doorbell can also differentiate between persons and objects. Check if alerts for objects are turned off.

Q.  How far away does the Ring doorbell detect motion?

According to Ring, the doorbells can detect motions up to 30 feet from the source. You can certainly pick up useful footage to 25 feet from the camera position.

Final Words

So, does the Ring doorbell detect cars or not? It depends on a lot of things. The position of the camera, the sensitivity level, internet connection, the distance between the passing cars and the camera, lighting, etc.

If you’re unsure about why your camera is picking or not picking up cars, it’s always a good idea to browse the settings on your Ring app. Altering the motion zones, sensitivity, and advanced motion detection will certainly make some difference when detecting and recording cars. Whether you want the Ring device to record cars or not, those settings will certainly help.