Night Vision

[Can Drive 5.0]

I would appreciate it if those with night vision experience could comment on the system. Specifically, I am wondering if it is helpful or just a gimmick and do you display the image on the monitor screen and use it to view the road ahead or rely on messages on the HUD or elsewhere when it detects objects? Thanks.

[ChristoGM80]

Works great.
Super long range your eyes could not see.
Works great with HUD.
Warnings are loud and clear on the screen and HUD.
Will get even better I think with next generation.
Now... to improve...
Button is not easy to access...
Take the whole screen.
Would have preferred to be able to split the screen.
When you go back to GPS, you need to reactivate it by pressing the button.

[Terp335]

I agree, it works great and I'm amazed at the visibility it provides. If you travel to or live in suburban areas it does a great job of spotting people, deer, and other critters (it highlights all sorts of small stuff crossing the road that you don't even see because they are so far in front of the car). That said, the display is on the nav not HUD and I find it a bit distracting to take eyes off the road to check the nav screen so it is most used with a passenger in the car (in my situation). I'd buy it again, but there are some improvements I'd still like to see.

[Can Drive 5.0]

Thanks to both of you. I was thinking that there would be a warning light or symbol on the HUD when the system detects something. I am also thinking that if the system detects something and it is turned on, there are colored boxes around the object. Whatever it does, I am going to order it.

[Terp335]

Originally Posted by Can Drive 55

Thanks to both of you. I was thinking that there would be a warning light or symbol on the HUD when the system detects something. I am also thinking that if the system detects something and it is turned on, there are colored boxes around the object. Whatever it does, I am going to order it.

You're welcome. To confirm, yes a warning symbol does appear in the HUD and their is an audible noise in the cabin if it detects a potential collision. The night vision screen does highlight images with a heat signature in different shades of yellow if it detects person or other mammals (deer, dog). The system works slightly different outside the US, where tracking LEDs illuminate the object and flash. There are some pretty nice videos on YouTube that show these features well.

[alphaod]

It's quite amazing. Have it on a Mercedes. Didn't get it on the X5 since none of the cars on the lots had it.

[charlietangobravo]

To show it on the nav screen is quite useless since you can´t be looking at that while driving.
The system is active even if you have not pressed the button to show it on the screen and shows warnings on the HUD while highlighting objects with a pencil beam (light spot version). I believe it activates when the headlights are turned on.
So, I love it but very rarely use the option to show it on NAV screen. Live in the countryside with wild animals everywhere and have been "saved" by it a bunch of times.

[Zopal]

Originally Posted by charlietangobravo

To show it on the nav screen is quite useless since you can´t be looking at that while driving.
The system is active even if you have not pressed the button to show it on the screen and shows warnings on the HUD while highlighting objects with a pencil beam (light spot version). I believe it activates when the headlights are turned on.
So, I love it but very rarely use the option to show it on NAV screen. Live in the countryside with wild animals everywhere and have been "saved" by it a bunch of times.

I have to agree. Basically everybody (including me) buys it to see infrared on screen, but that's useless exept that if you would like to see your neighbor's car is hot or not...
It's because there is a lag ( and always be ) between the camera picture and reality, you simply cannot drive faster than 10 mph looking on the screen.
It's a dog and pony show ( we call it redneck dazzling ) to sell the feature.

But it's really good with the light spot version, it's simply lights up people, bicycling people, animals etc. with a vertical narrow beam of light. You get warning on HUD if they are or can be on front of your car and you instantly recognize them. If it's more serious it's even blinking the light.

[Can Drive 5.0]

It would be great if the spot light function was available in the USA.

[alphaod]

Or the intelligent lights...

[Terp335]

Originally Posted by Zopal

I have to agree. Basically everybody (including me) buys it to see infrared on screen, but that's useless exept that if you would like to see your neighbor's car is hot or not...
It's because there is a lag ( and always be ) between the camera picture and reality, you simply cannot drive faster than 10 mph looking on the screen.
It's a dog and pony show ( we call it redneck dazzling ) to sell the feature.

But it's really good with the light spot version, it's simply lights up people, bicycling people, animals etc. with a vertical narrow beam of light. You get warning on HUD if they are or can be on front of your car and you instantly recognize them. If it's more serious it's even blinking the light.

I find this feature really useful when there are minimal cars on the road and I need to see beyond the beam of my headlights to see what's ahead (long stretches of dark highway or late at night in suburban areas). The system is great for that and I've spotted countless deer on the side of the road well before they are in view with headlights. I can't say that this feature has prevented an accident but it has made me more alert. The lag you speak of is really only an issue if you're using it to see short distances in front of the car, in which case your headlights would be fine anyway. I wouldn't bother turning this on in urban areas or around traffic. I will say it is gimmicky and I used it much more a few months ago than I do now. It is still a nice safety feature but not something i automatically turn on when it's dark out. It has it's time and place for appropriate use, imo.

[Snow-Kidney]

[kip1]

Excellent feature, one of the reasons I went for the X5 vs Cayenne, Touareg etc. We drove a lot of km, without deer fences, the thing spots animals, bicycles pedestrians well ahead. The screen is nice to pinpoint where the thing that caused the alarm is situated as they are visible in yellow on the screen. The Hud and dash just warn you that there is something. A bicycle came at high speed from behind a bush. The car warned me, warned the guy with the spotlight and even performed braking. Expensive, but worth it.