Patent ID: 8095265

Claim:
A system, comprising: sensor means located on a motor positioned to detect and signal both an onset and a completion of an activity performed on a motor vehicle, wherein the activity involves maintenance or repair to the motor vehicle; a video camera located on the motor vehicle positioned within a recording range of a vicinity of the activity that captures images of the activity as it is performed in response to the signaled onset of the activity; a video recording means located on the vehicle that records the video camera images of the activity from the video camera to a storage system; and a controller that automatically: activates the video camera in response to the sensor means onset signal; deactivates the video camera and determines if a part or fluid of the motor vehicle was replaced in response to the sensor means completion signal; if determined that neither the part nor the fluid were replaced, deletes the video camera images of the activity recorded to the storage system since the onset signal; and if determined that either the part or the fluid was replaced, concatenates the video camera images of the activity recorded to the storage system since the onset signal with any other recorded images stored on the storage system.