AutoBoy Was Removed — The Best AutoBoy Alternative for Android
AutoBoy had over 10 million downloads. For years it was the default answer when someone asked "what's the best dashcam app for Android?" Then it disappeared. No warning, no announcement, no migration guide.
If you're here, you already know this. You want to know what to use instead.
Phone Dashcam is the best AutoBoy alternative for Android in 2026. It covers everything AutoBoy offered and adds features AutoBoy never had — including 336,000+ US camera alerts, AI object detection, and Android Auto integration. Free to download.
What AutoBoy Did Well
AutoBoy built its reputation on a few things it did consistently better than competitors: reliable loop recording that never missed a clip, a clean interface that wasn't cluttered with settings you'd never use, and rock-solid parking mode that worked through the night without draining the battery. It also had one of the better implementations of crash detection in the category.
Any worthwhile replacement needs to match all of those before it earns the comparison.
Phone Dashcam vs AutoBoy
| Feature | Phone Dashcam | AutoBoy (removed) |
|---|---|---|
| Loop Recording | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parking Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crash Detection | ✓ | ✓ |
| GPS Speedometer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trip Logging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud Backup | ✓ Google Drive, free | Limited |
| 336K+ US Camera Alerts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Flock Safety ALPR Alerts | ✓ | ✗ |
| AI Object Detection | ✓ YOLOv8 | ✗ |
| Android Auto | ✓ | ✗ |
| Still receives updates | ✓ | ✗ Removed 2024 |
| Price | Free + $9.99 Pro once | Unavailable |
What Phone Dashcam Adds That AutoBoy Never Had
336K+ Camera Alerts
Speed cameras, Flock Safety ALPR readers, red light cameras, and police speed traps — all mapped across the US and updated continuously.
AI Object Detection
YOLOv8 identifies pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles in your camera feed in real time. AutoBoy just recorded. Phone Dashcam actively watches.
Android Auto
See the dashcam feed and alerts on your car's head unit. AutoBoy had no Android Auto support. Phone Dashcam is one of the only dashcam apps that does.
Google Drive Backup
Important clips auto-upload to your Google Drive. No third-party servers. Works over WiFi when you get home. AutoBoy's cloud backup was limited.
AutoBoy was a great app for its era. But it was built before AI object detection, before Flock Safety ALPR cameras became a concern for drivers, and before Android Auto was widespread. Phone Dashcam was built for 2026.
How to Set Up Phone Dashcam
- Download Phone Dashcam from Google Play — free, no account required.
- Grant camera and storage permissions when prompted.
- Set your recording preferences: resolution (720p to 1080p+), clip duration (1–10 minutes), and storage limit.
- Mount your phone on your windshield. Phone Dashcam works in landscape or portrait.
- Plug into your car charger. Tap Record. You're protected.
The whole process takes under 2 minutes. If you had AutoBoy's settings memorized, Phone Dashcam's options map directly to the same controls.
AutoBoy Is Gone. Phone Dashcam Is Here.
Everything AutoBoy did. Plus 336,000+ camera alerts, AI detection, and Android Auto. Free to download.
Download Phone Dashcam FreeNo account, no subscription. Core dashcam features are completely free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was AutoBoy removed from the Play Store?
AutoBoy Dashcam was removed from the Google Play Store in September 2024. No official public reason was given. Users who had the app installed could continue running older versions, but the app received no further updates after removal.
What is the best AutoBoy alternative for Android?
Phone Dashcam is the best AutoBoy alternative in 2026. It matches AutoBoy's core feature set (loop recording, parking mode, crash detection, GPS logging) and adds features AutoBoy never had: 336K+ US camera alerts, YOLOv8 AI detection, Android Auto support, and Google Drive backup.
Is Phone Dashcam free like AutoBoy was?
Yes. Phone Dashcam is free to download with all core features included. The optional Pro upgrade is $9.99 one-time and adds camera alerts and AI detection. No subscription.
Can I still use AutoBoy if I have it installed?
Technically yes, if you have an old version installed. But AutoBoy has not been updated since its removal and does not receive bug fixes or security patches. On newer Android versions, features may break without updates. We recommend switching to an actively maintained app.
Does Phone Dashcam work on older Android phones?
Yes. Phone Dashcam supports Android 8.0 and higher, which covers virtually every Android phone made since 2017. If AutoBoy ran on your phone, Phone Dashcam will too.