Founding record
Why OpenSight exists, and how it got here
The Founding Record sets out not only what OpenSight decided, but why, from the first prototype to the OpenSight identity. It is our internal governance reference. Ask for it at hello@opensight.com.au.
The Founding Story is our shorter, narrative account of how OpenSight began. Read it on the site, or download it below.
Timeline
From prototype to identity
- August to September 2026 BlackVue Bridge prototype
An early experiment that connected an ordinary dashcam to a bridge device. It was the first working proof that everyday vehicle hardware could capture usable, georeferenced imagery.
- September 2026 The Mapillary licensing question
A question about how captured imagery could be shared and licensed opened up a much bigger conversation about openness, ownership and infrastructure data.
- September 2026 The open-source proposition
The idea took shape that the core of the system (hardware designs, software, schema and APIs) should be open, not locked to a single vendor.
- September 2026 Observation-centred architecture
The system was reframed around a single, well-defined unit (the Observation) as the common building block for capture, sharing and analysis.
- September 2026 The "OpenRoad" discussion paper
A discussion paper under the working name "OpenRoad" set out the case for an open, road-focused observation network. That name is history now. It is not a current brand.
- 12 September 2026 Renamed OpenSight
The project was renamed OpenSight to reflect a broader ambition covering the whole physical world, not just roads.
- 12 September 2026 Identity and brand pack
The OpenSight identity (brand guidelines and asset pack) was published on 12 September 2026, and this Founding Record was written alongside it to set out why.