Automated mobile device onboard camera recording

Embodiments of the system herein use a mobile device of a user to act as an onboard camera and capture video of the environment surrounding the user's vehicle and/or telematics data about the user's vehicle. The system can detect when a user has begun to operate the vehicle, for example based on mobile device power information and the proximity/connection of the mobile device to a device associated with the vehicle, and automatically begin onboard camera recording or prompt the user to begin onboard camera recording. The recorded videos and/or telematics data can be locally stored on the mobile device, or in some embodiments transferred to an outside server for storage.