Guardzilla Camera Not Detecting Vehicles? Here's How to Fix It
One of the most valuable features of a modern security camera is its ability to intelligently distinguish between different types of motion. When your Guardzilla camera's vehicle detection fails, you might miss important security alerts, like a car pulling into your driveway. This issue can be frustrating, but it's often solvable by adjusting your setup and settings.
This troubleshooting guide will help you understand why your camera might be failing to detect vehicles and provide clear, actionable steps to resolve the problem.
Common Reasons for Failed Vehicle Detection
Before diving into solutions, it's helpful to know what typically causes this issue:
- Poor Camera Placement: The camera is too high, too low, or angled in a way that makes it difficult to see and identify the shape of a car.
- Incorrect Motion Settings: The motion sensitivity is set too low, or specific detection zones are not configured correctly.
- Obstructions: Trees, bushes, walls, or other objects are blocking the camera's view of the target area.
- Poor Lighting: At night, insufficient lighting or strong glare from headlights can prevent the camera's AI from accurately identifying a vehicle.
- Outdated Firmware: The camera's software may have bugs that have been fixed in a later version.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Vehicle Detection
Follow these steps to systematically improve your camera's ability to detect vehicles.
1. Optimise Your Camera's Positioning
The physical placement of your camera is the most critical factor for accurate detection.
- Mounting Height: Install your Guardzilla camera at a height of 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 metres) from the ground. Mounting it too high can make vehicles appear too small for the AI to recognise.
- Downward Angle: Angle the camera slightly downwards, so it's looking down at the target area rather than straight out at the horizon. This provides a clearer, more distinguishable profile of a car.
- Detection Distance: Vehicle detection is most reliable for objects within 50 feet (about 15 metres) of the camera. Ensure your driveway or the street you want to monitor is within this range.
- Avoid Direct Light: Do not point the camera directly at the sun, as this can cause glare and silhouetting, making detection difficult.
2. Adjust Motion and Smart Detection Settings
Fine-tuning the software settings in the Guardzilla app is your next step.
- Increase Motion Sensitivity: Navigate to your camera's Settings and find the Motion Detection menu. If the sensitivity is set to low, the camera may be ignoring subtle movements. Try increasing it to a medium or high level.
- Enable Vehicle Detection: Ensure that the specific toggle for Vehicle Detection or "Smart Alerts" is turned on.
- Configure Motion Zones: Use the motion zone feature to draw a specific area where you want the camera to look for vehicles, such as your driveway. This tells the camera to ignore irrelevant motion in other parts of the frame, like trees swaying in the wind.
3. Clear All Obstructions
A clear line of sight is essential for your camera to work effectively.
- Trim Foliage: Trim back any tree branches, bushes, or tall grass that may be obscuring the camera's view of the road or driveway.
- Check for Physical Barriers: Make sure there are no pillars, walls, or large decorations blocking the camera's line of sight.
- Clean the Lens: A dirty or smudged camera lens can significantly impact image clarity. Clean it regularly with a soft, microfibre cloth.
4. Improve Lighting Conditions
For reliable detection at night, your camera needs enough light to see.
- Use External Lighting: Ensure the area is well-lit. A motion-activated porch light or floodlight can work in tandem with your camera, illuminating the area as a vehicle approaches.
- Check Night Vision: Verify that your camera's infrared (IR) night vision is enabled and working correctly. Keep the area directly in front of the camera clear of any close objects that could cause IR glare.
5. Update Firmware and App
Always run the latest software to benefit from performance improvements and bug fixes.
- Update Camera Firmware: In the app, go to Settings > Device Info (or similar) and check for a firmware update.
- Update the Guardzilla App: Visit your phone's app store to ensure you have the latest version of the Guardzilla app installed.
By carefully working through these five areas, you can dramatically improve the accuracy of your Guardzilla camera's vehicle detection and ensure you receive the alerts that matter most.