InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision system review

InfiRay NV2: 30-second review

The InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System is an aftermarket setup that essentially allows you to see in the dark while driving. Systems similar to this have been fitted on some manufacturers' cars in the past, such as the Mercedes S-Class, although this system is just the camera and not the built-in infrared lamps.

Upon arrival, the InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System requires installation into your vehicle, a process much like fitting car parking sensors or the best dash cams, albeit less invasive. The camera mounts just above the licence plate, or you can attach it to the grill if there's room. The installation involves feeding wires through the engine bay and into the dash and cabin of the car or van. For some vehicles, this process is extremely easy; for others, more is needed. Haynes manuals offer a great selection of guides that cover most cars and vans and should show you how to remove panels correctly.

Once installed and switched on, the small dash-mounted unit provides a clear black-and-white view of the road. As soon as anyone moves in front of the camera, up to 200 metres away, the AI in the system recognises them and sends alerts, the same for cars.

In the dark, this system really comes into its own, alerting you when someone steps out onto the road ahead, thus drawing your attention to them even if you don't see them.

If you drive at night and find it difficult to see some obstructions, or if you like the idea of having a night riding guide that can see the road even if you're dazzled by oncoming lights, the InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System is a great addition to your night driving toolkit.

InfiRay NV2: Price & availability

The InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System is widely available from automotive stores, as well as through Amazon (US) and directly from the InfiRay website.

• Score: 4/5

InfiRay NV2: Design & build

The InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System requires quite a bit of installation effort before it can be used, and it's not as straight forward as just attaching to the front of your vehicle. The system comprises two main parts: the display, which sits on your dashboard and gives you visual and audio alerts about potential road hazards, and the IR camera, mounted on your car's bumper or grill. These components are connected via a long wire, with power supplied through the 12v socket (cigarette lighter).

The initial installation duration varies, taking approximately 3-4 hours depending on your proficiency with car maintenance, but this can decrease to about an hour for the experienced. In this review, the system was installed in a Ford Transit Custom on a temporary basis, noting that permanent installation may involve drilling and screwing into the bodywork.

Completing the installation involves affixing the display unit to the dash, routing one cable to the 12v power supply (and potentially installing an additional socket for tidiness), and running the other cable for the camera through the dash into the engine bay. In the engine bay, I secured the wire away from moving parts with zip ties, routed it around the bay, and through the grill where the camera was mounted near the licence plate.

Once installed, operating the InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System is straightforward: simply flip the screen up to turn it on and remove it from standby mode, then adjust the volume as needed.

• Build: 4/5

InfiRay NV2: Features

The InfiRay NV2 Car Night Vision System packs in a decent range of features, including the AI-assisted driver assistance, which can alert you to objects spotted in 0.1 seconds. We've seen some interesting AI tools recently, and this one certainly stands out. The NV2 essentially provides visual and audio alerts for cars, animals, or people and will even work well in adverse weather conditions such as fog, rain, or snow with a visibility of up to 200 metres.

As the main camera module is mounted on the exterior, its designed to withstand various environmental conditions, and as such, the NV2's camera is dustproof and rainproof. The small camera features an infrared thermal image sensing unit that will capture clear images even in total darkness as it utilises IR light, as this light wave bypasses common visual impairments like glare, reflections, and haze that restrict human sight in low light conditions.

The NV2 also offers a range of intelligent features such as collision warning, target detection and classification, lane line detection, and distance and speed calculations that have all been designed to improve driving safety. As the camera is mounted on the exterior, it needs to be tough and features a high-strength protective lens cover and automatic defrosting function, which can be controlled via the dashboard display, all to help ensure consistent visual quality under all conditions.

Technically, the NV2 hardware and connection types all support ease of use with interfaces like GMSL for video, FAKRA for physical connection, and I²C for communication, ensuring compatibility with various vehicle systems. It operates on a DC 12V power supply, which is standard for most cars, with a low power consumption of ≤ 6W or ≤ 9W with defrosting activated, minimising its impact on the vehicle's power system.

• Features 5/5

InfiRay NV2: Performance

Starting with the NV2 is straightforward. When the small screen is flipped up, it powers on and exits standby mode. Upon booting, it displays a black-and-white live image of the street ahead, doubling as a parking camera.

An additional feature is the MicroSD/TF card slot on the back of the unit, allowing for the recording of camera visuals. These recordings are a sequence of images rather than video, providing a useful post-journey review tool.

In daylight, the NV2 enhances road awareness, highlighting vehicles in front with colours changing from green to red as you approach. It provides visual alerts and audio warnings for moving traffic ahead. The system is also able to detect the presence of people and animals and will send out an alert with on-screen overlays and beeps, and in use it's surprising just how easily people and especially animals can be missed while driving.

The audio prompt through the test proved to be invaluable, especially during twilight and while driving through tree covered areas such as the New Forest, where various animals and pedestrians can suddenly appear from the trees. The system's ability to detect obstacles at a distance is impressive, spotting animals and other potential hazards well before they become visible to the naked eye and alerting you with a beep.

At night, the NV2's capabilities really stand out as it detects animals using overlays as well as heat signatures and, of course, once again beeps to signal their presence. The system effectively sees through high beams, fog, and haze, offering a clear view of the road ahead, although it should not, of course, be relied upon solely for navigation in such conditions.

In urban environments, the audio alerts are particularly useful for identifying potential risks, allowing for quick reference to the screen while maintaining focus on the road.

Overall, while installation can be somewhat complex, especially routing the cables through the engine bay and glove box, the NV2 significantly improves visibility and situational awareness, making it a valuable driving aid both day and night.

• Performance: 5/5

Should you buy the InfiRay NV2?

Firstly, it's important to note that the installation of the NV2 should not put you off; you can do it yourself, and you'll be surprised by just how many guides there are out there to help you. If a bit of car DIY isn't for you, then you should be able to find a local automotive electrician who should be able to install the system in 1-2 hours, although this can depend on the vehicle. For example, fitting it to a Nissan Leaf might be better suited for a professional rather than a DIY approach as we did when fitting this to the Ford Transit Custom.

Secondly, the NV2 should be regarded as an aid for driving and not a replacement for normal driving visibility compromised by light, fog, haze, or other factors. In other words keep your eyes on the road and not on the screen.

In practice, the NV2's most significant contribution to driving safety is its audio beep, which alerts you to potential hazards that have been detected by the AI camera. This feature enables you to have a quick check of the monitor to identify the hazard, with coloured overlays drawing immediate attention to the obstruction or the beep, highlighting any potential danger.

While the NV2 is an infrared camera system it performs well for both night and day driving. Its compact size ensures that it doesn't clutter the dashboard, and the screen's flip-up, flip-down design adds to its neatness, and once positioned on the dash it does blend in well. While the system doesn't offer many settings or adjustments, it doesn't need to—it effectively does what it does.

The NV2 is an excellent choice if you're uncomfortable driving at night or you think that audio alerts would be beneficial in highlighting potential hazards in the road. 

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