Vantrue Pilot 2 - Thermal 4 Channel Dashcam with CarPlay - Unboxing & First Impressions

[Julian23]

Vantrue has been releasing quite a few interesting cameras lately, but the Pilot 2 is something completely different.
I recently received the new Pilot 2 Full System from Vantrue for testing, together with a microSD card, CPL filter, and the VP-05(2) hardwire kit. Big thanks to the Vantrue team for giving me the opportunity to test this setup!

Instead of being just another multi-channel dashcam, the Pilot 2 combines a traditional front, cabin, and rear camera setup with a separate thermal imaging camera.

The thermal camera is obviously the most interesting part. It is designed to detect vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, animals, and other heat sources even when there is very little visible light available. Combined with AI-based recognition and warnings, the Pilot 2 is intended to work as an additional driver assistance system rather than only recording what happens.
The Pilot 2 also comes with a large 6.25-inch IPS touchscreen and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

I have the Full System, which includes both the normal dashcam system and the thermal camera system.
For now, I will focus on the unboxing, hardware, installation, and initial setup. Video quality, thermal performance, AI detection, parking mode, and real-world testing will follow later.


Specifications

4-Channel System:

• Front Camera
• Cabin Camera
• Rear Camera
• Thermal Camera

Camera Sensors:

• Front: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675, 5MP
• Cabin: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX662, 2MP
• Rear: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675, 5MP
• Thermal: 12µm WLP high-performance Vanadium Oxide uncooled infrared detector

Recording Resolutions:

• Front: 2560 x 1440P @ 30fps
• Cabin: 1920 x 1080P @ 30fps
• Rear: 2560 x 1440P @ 30fps
• Thermal: Unknown - (Video output resolution : 1024 x 768P @ 30fps)

Field of View:

• Front: 158°
• Cabin: 160°
• Rear: 165°
• Thermal: 60°

Lens Aperture:

• Front: F1.8
• Cabin: F2.0
• Rear: F1.8
• Thermal: F1.2

Display:

• 6.25-inch IPS touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Automatic brightness adjustment

Other Features:

• HDR
• PlatePix
• 4 infrared LEDs for the cabin camera
• 2.4GHz / 5GHz Wi-Fi 6
• OTA firmware updates
• Built-in GPS
• 24/7 Parking Mode
• G-Sensor impact detection
• microSD cards up to 1TB
• Supercapacitor

Thermal Camera: (According to the Pilot 2 manual)

• IP67 waterproof
• Vehicle recognition up to 328 ft / around 100 m
• Pedestrian recognition up to 229.7 ft / around 70 m
• Animal recognition up to 229.7 ft / around 70 m depending on the size of the animal

Power:

• DC 5V / 3A
• Operating power: 14W

Operating Temperature:

• -20°C to 60°C

Storage Temperature:

• -25°C to 70°C

Unboxing

The Full System comes with quite a lot of hardware:

Opening the main package:

The Pilot 2 itself is securely stored inside the box.

The 6.25-inch display makes the Pilot 2 considerably different from a traditional dashcam. The screen is large enough to be used for the thermal view, camera controls, and CarPlay or Android Auto without everything feeling cramped.

Rear view of the main unit:

The back of the unit has plenty of ventilation. Considering that the Pilot 2 has to handle multiple cameras, a large display, Wi-Fi, and the thermal system, proper heat dissipation will be important.

The cabin camera is integrated into the main unit, requiring only one cable from the display.

There is also an orange physical button on the main unit. One of its useful functions is turning the display off completely. Pressing it again, using the physical controls, or touching the display wakes the screen back up.
This is a nice feature if you do not want a large screen glowing in front of you all the time.

The Pilot 2 also has an ambient light sensor in the front camera that automatically adjusts the display brightness depending on the surrounding light conditions.

Everything included with the Full System:

There is a lot of hardware here, but the whole package feels extremely complete and high quality.
The Full System includes the Pilot 2 main unit, front camera, rear camera, thermal camera, the required mounts, and all necessary connection cables. Apart from a microSD card, you basically have everything needed for the installation.

This is definitely not going to be as quick to install as a basic two-channel dashcam, but that is expected considering what the system is designed to do.

More in the next post!

 

[Julian23]

Front and Rear Cameras

Continuing with the hardware, the Pilot 2 uses separate front and rear camera modules.

The rear camera uses the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor and records at 2560 x 1440P @ 30fps.

Rear camera:

The rear camera also has vents to keep it cool:

The housing feels solid and well put together. With its 165° field of view, the rear camera covers a very wide area behind the vehicle.
As usual with a very wide lens, there is a trade-off. You get more coverage close to the vehicle, but objects and license plates further away will naturally appear smaller.


The front camera also uses the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor and records at 2560 x 1440P @ 30fps.

Front camera:

The front camera has its own ambient light sensor. This is used to automatically adjust the brightness of the 6.25-inch Pilot 2 display depending on the surrounding light conditions.

One detail I especially like is the front camera mount.

The mount offers a large adjustment range and makes it very easy to position the camera correctly.
This should be particularly useful with more vertical windshields or unusual mounting positions.

The separate front camera design also gives you much more freedom than having the recording lens permanently built into the display itself.
You don't have to worry about being able to see the camera.

Both front and rear cameras feel like proper standalone modules rather than small secondary cameras added just to increase the channel count.

How much detail they can actually capture during the day and night will be part of the later testing.

More in the next post!

 

[Julian23]

Thermal Camera

Now to the most interesting part of the Pilot 2.
The separate thermal camera is what makes this system stand out from almost every normal dashcam setup.
The thermal camera comes with a silicone protective cover installed.

Front:

Rear:

Removing the cover gives a better look at the actual thermal camera housing.

Front:

Rear:

The camera is screwed into the hood clamp. It can be swapped for a different mount.
The camera uses a 12µm WLP high-performance Vanadium Oxide uncooled infrared detector.

Unlike a conventional camera, the thermal sensor does not rely on visible light to identify objects. Instead, it detects thermal radiation.
This means people, animals, vehicles, and other warmer objects can remain visible even when there is very little light available.

Rear side of the camera:

The thermal camera itself is surprisingly compact considering what it does.

Vantrue also includes an alternative adhesive mounting solution.

The thermal camera screws directly into this bracket, which can then be attached to the vehicle using the adhesive pad.
This gives you another installation option if the standard mounting position does not work for your vehicle.
Here is the complete thermal camera and bracket assembled:

The thermal camera has a much narrower 60° field of view compared with the regular front camera.
For this application, that makes sense. The goal is not to provide an ultra-wide overview around the vehicle.
Instead, it is designed to look further down the road and identify potential hazards before they become clearly visible to the driver.

According to the Pilot 2 documentation, vehicle recognition can work at distances of up to 328 ft / around 100 meters. Pedestrians and cyclists can be recognized at up to 229.7 ft / around 70 meters. Animal recognition has the same stated maximum range, although that obviously depends on the size of the animal.

This is one of the features I am particularly interested in testing.
Seeing a thermal image is one thing. The more important question is whether the system can actually warn you about a person or animal before you would normally notice it yourself.

False detections will be just as important.
A thermal warning system is only useful if you can trust it.

More in the next post!

 

[Julian23]

Cables and Connections

As expected from a system with this many components, there are quite a few cables.

Everything required for the different cameras and modules:

At first glance, this may look slightly intimidating. Fortunately, Vantrue has clearly labeled the cables and connectors.

Each cable tells you what it connects to, which makes routing and connecting the Full System much easier.
This sounds like a small detail, but with several different cameras and multiple long cables it makes a big difference during installation.

The power supply:
The Pilot 2 uses a 5V 3A power supply. This is the same output Vantrue has been using with several of its latest higher-end dashcams.
Considering how much hardware the Pilot 2 has to power, including the large display and additional modules, the 15W power supply is required.
Please do not use a cheap or weak power supply. You will run into issue.

The thermal camera cable deserves some extra attention:
The connector uses an O-ring to help seal the connection against moisture.

The cable itself is also flat rather than round.
That is a very useful design choice for an externally mounted camera. A flat cable is much easier to route through narrow gaps, seals, trim pieces, or other tight spaces than a thick conventional cable.
The thermal camera is IP67 rated, so having a properly sealed connector is important if the camera or connector is exposed to the weather.

Overall, the wiring looks very well thought out.
All connectors are clearly labeled, the cables feel sturdy, and Vantrue has paid attention to details such as waterproofing and cable routing.

I would still recommend planning the complete cable route before permanently mounting anything. There is quite a lot to install with the Full System. Also also please check if everything works BEFORE installing.

Once everything is connected, however, the software side is surprisingly straightforward.

More in the next post!

 

[Julian23]

Initial Setup and User Interface

The Pilot 2 starts with a simple setup process directly on the 6.25-inch touchscreen.

Language selection:

Basic setup:

The screen is large, bright, and responsive. Compared with a traditional dashcam display, there is obviously much more room for proper controls and information.
I actually prefer touch a lot over buttons.
After the initial setup, most commonly used functions are available through the Quick Menu.

This gives quick access to important functions without having to go through the complete settings menu every time.
The interface is easy to understand and feels more like a small infotainment system than a traditional dashcam menu.

The P2 also has a Rain/Fog Mode. More on that later.

CarPlay and Android Auto

Another unusual feature is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This basically turns the Pilot 2 into an additional infotainment display.

For older vehicles without factory CarPlay or Android Auto, this alone could make the Pilot 2 significantly more useful than a traditional dashcam.
Even in a newer vehicle, it gives you the option to have navigation or other information directly on the Pilot 2 display while still using the thermal and dashcam functions.
The thermal camera can be used in a split screen with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.


Thermal Smart

The thermal system has its own dedicated Smart menu.

Thermal Smart is enabled by default and uses AI to identify vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and animals.
The individual detection functions can be enabled or disabled depending on what you want the system to monitor.

Forward Collision Detection:

• Enabled by default
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Adjustable activation speed from 5 to 75 MPH (approx. 8 to 121 km/h)
• Vehicle recognition up to 328.08 ft (approx. 100 m)

Pedestrian Detection:

• Disabled by default
• Detects pedestrians and cyclists
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Adjustable minimum activation speed from 5 to 30 MPH (approx. 8 to 48 km/h)
• Adjustable maximum activation speed from 30 to 75 MPH (approx. 48 to 121 km/h)
• Recognition distance up to 229.7 ft (approx. 70 m)

Animal Detection:

• Disabled by default
• Designed to recognize quadrupedal animals
• Examples include cats, dogs, cows, sheep, horses, deer, kangaroos, and bears
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Recognition distance up to 229.7 ft (approx. 70 m), depending on the size of the animal

The AI marking system can display recognized objects directly on the thermal image in real time.
Normal detections are shown using colored recognition boxes, while potential collision risks are highlighted differently.

An optional AI Distance display can also be enabled. Vantrue notes that this value is intended as a reference and may differ from the actual distance.


Rain & Fog Mode

The Quick Menu and Thermal Smart settings also include a dedicated Rain & Fog Mode.
When enabled, the system changes the thermal image processing to improve image clarity and AI recognition accuracy in rain or fog.
The goal is to make vehicles, road conditions, and other objects easier to identify when normal visibility is reduced.

There is one trade-off.
Vantrue states that enabling Rain & Fog Mode can slightly reduce video smoothness.
A short stutter can also occur when the mode is activated because the camera switches its shutter settings.

This is normal behavior and does not indicate a malfunction.
Vantrue recommends disabling the mode during sunny weather or during clear nights without fog.


Using Thermal Smart While Driving

This is where the Pilot 2 becomes much more than a normal dashcam.
A traditional dashcam records what happens in front of the vehicle, but normally there is no reason to constantly watch its display.

The Pilot 2 is different. The thermal system and AI recognition are specifically designed to provide useful information while you are driving.
The large display can show the thermal view, recognized objects, warnings, distances, and other information in real time.
This is probably the part of the Pilot 2 I am most interested in testing.


There are quite a few questions I want to answer:

• How early can it detect pedestrians?
• How well does animal detection work?
• Can it detect objects before the driver can see them?
• How accurate is the distance estimation?
• How many false detections are there?
• How useful is it on completely dark roads?
• How much does Rain & Fog Mode actually help?
• How distracting is the display at night?
• How well do CarPlay/Android Auto and the dashcam functions work together?
• How reliable is the complete system?

My first impression of the hardware is very positive.

The Pilot 2 Full System is obviously much more complex than a normal dashcam, but the complete package feels extremely well thought out. The hardware feels high quality, the cables are clearly labeled, there are several mounting options, and almost everything required for installation is already included.

The thermal camera is ultimately the feature that will decide whether the Pilot 2 is just an interesting piece of technology or something that can genuinely improve visibility and safety during night driving.
I will follow up with real-world testing, thermal detection examples, normal image quality, parking mode, CarPlay, and general reliability.

More soon!

 

[Julian23]

It took much longer than expected to finally get some animals in front of the Pilot 2.
I have now managed to capture some examples with the thermal camera.
The animals are very easy to make out in the thermal image. The narrower FOV also helps, because smaller objects at a distance appear much more clearly.
On the regular wide-angle dashcam, the same animals are much harder to see, especially at night.

Below are 4 images.
Two from the thermal and two from the normal dashcam. Both at different distances.
There is no way to see the hog in real life at that distance in the grass.

There are only about three seconds between these images, but I was easily able to slow down by over 20km/h while approaching the hog.

Several deer on the right side:

Initially, I only saw a white signature. The white signature is easily noticeable if the P2 is mounted somewhere in the driver's FOV.

After getting closer, I saw several animals.

Only one of these animals can be seen with the normal camera.

Another one ahead:

The deer shape can be seen on the thermal camera.

But it can only barely be seen on the normal dashcam.

With the days getting shorter, the P2 will definitely see more animals. I can already say that having a thermal camera while driving through a forest is a nice feature.

I am still collecting more examples before posting a full conclusion.
More testing in progress.

 

[jsmith]

@Julian23

So did any of these events trigger an alert? Clearly, I've seen animals and people, but so far no alerts about them. Yes, the thermal is great, but we're needing the system to reliably recognize animals to give us an audible alert.

 

[Julian23]

@Julian23

So did any of these events trigger an alert? Clearly, I've seen animals and people, but so far no alerts about them. Yes, the thermal is great, but we're needing the system to reliably recognize animals to give us an audible alert.

In both cases no.
Maybe because I already slowed down and both of them were to the left and right of the road? I don't know.

I've gotten alerts for people close to the road who could possibly be in my path.
It will then mark the box in a different color.

 

[Julian23]

Spot the fox. Made easy with the help of the thermal camera.

Can't even see it if you don't know that it's there.

Now it's visible.

No alert of the thermal cam however.

 

[jsmith]

Spot the fox. Made easy with the help of the thermal camera.

View attachment 94051View attachment 94048View attachment 94049

Can't even see it if you don't know that it's there.
View attachment 94050View attachment 94052

Now it's visible.
View attachment 94053

No alert of the thermal cam however.

Seeing it requires watching the screen, as I'm certain this didn't give any alert due to not running in front of your vehicle?

 

[LateralNW]

Great insight into what comes in the box and what to expect from the night vision.

Vantrue has really pushed the boundaries of the ordinary Dashcam.
Adding the night vision is definitely a step in the the direction.

In Australia we are coming into our hotter month when kangaroos like to stand in the road at night enjoying the warmth I guess and are very hard to see and usually in a bend to make it that much worse. I'm looking forward to putting this system in my car as my backup to seeing at night.

An improvement it feature I would like to see is if they could make the screen turn into a heads up unit so the screen is directly in front of the driver.
Of course that would make the other features in the head unit a tad difficult to select. Pepsis a special heads up unit in a future release.

I'll be posting a review soon. Tonight I will be posting raw video footage on my YouTube channel.

Look forward to your further insights to this unit.

 

[jsmith]

Great insight into what comes in the box and what to expect from the night vision.

Vantrue has really pushed the boundaries of the ordinary Dashcam.
Adding the night vision is definitely a step in the the direction.

In Australia we are coming into our hotter month when kangaroos like to stand in the road at night enjoying the warmth I guess and are very hard to see and usually in a bend to make it that much worse. I'm looking forward to putting this system in my car as my backup to seeing at night.

An improvement it feature I would like to see is if they could make the screen turn into a heads up unit so the screen is directly in front of the driver.
Of course that would make the other features in the head unit a tad difficult to select. Pepsis a special heads up unit in a future release.

I'll be posting a review soon. Tonight I will be posting raw video footage on my YouTube channel.

Look forward to your further insights to this unit.

So do you have the P2 Thermal? Have you captured Kangaroos with it? Are the warnings for animals timely enough to permit ample reaction and stopping distance?

 

[Jeff_Vantrue]

Initial Setup and User Interface

The Pilot 2 starts with a simple setup process directly on the 6.25-inch touchscreen.

Language selection:

View attachment 93057


Basic setup:
View attachment 93058


The screen is large, bright, and responsive. Compared with a traditional dashcam display, there is obviously much more room for proper controls and information.
I actually prefer touch a lot over buttons.
After the initial setup, most commonly used functions are available through the Quick Menu.

This gives quick access to important functions without having to go through the complete settings menu every time.
The interface is easy to understand and feels more like a small infotainment system than a traditional dashcam menu.
View attachment 93059

The P2 also has a Rain/Fog Mode. More on that later.

View attachment 93060

CarPlay and Android Auto

Another unusual feature is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This basically turns the Pilot 2 into an additional infotainment display.

View attachment 93061

For older vehicles without factory CarPlay or Android Auto, this alone could make the Pilot 2 significantly more useful than a traditional dashcam.
Even in a newer vehicle, it gives you the option to have navigation or other information directly on the Pilot 2 display while still using the thermal and dashcam functions.
The thermal camera can be used in a split screen with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.


Thermal Smart

The thermal system has its own dedicated Smart menu.

View attachment 93062

View attachment 93063

View attachment 93064

Thermal Smart is enabled by default and uses AI to identify vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and animals.
The individual detection functions can be enabled or disabled depending on what you want the system to monitor.

Forward Collision Detection:

• Enabled by default
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Adjustable activation speed from 5 to 75 MPH (approx. 8 to 121 km/h)
• Vehicle recognition up to 328.08 ft (approx. 100 m)

Pedestrian Detection:

• Disabled by default
• Detects pedestrians and cyclists
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Adjustable minimum activation speed from 5 to 30 MPH (approx. 8 to 48 km/h)
• Adjustable maximum activation speed from 30 to 75 MPH (approx. 48 to 121 km/h)
• Recognition distance up to 229.7 ft (approx. 70 m)

Animal Detection:

• Disabled by default
• Designed to recognize quadrupedal animals
• Examples include cats, dogs, cows, sheep, horses, deer, kangaroos, and bears
• Warning volume adjustable from 1 to 5
• Sensitivity: Low / Medium / High
• Recognition distance up to 229.7 ft (approx. 70 m), depending on the size of the animal

The AI marking system can display recognized objects directly on the thermal image in real time.
Normal detections are shown using colored recognition boxes, while potential collision risks are highlighted differently.

An optional AI Distance display can also be enabled. Vantrue notes that this value is intended as a reference and may differ from the actual distance.


Rain & Fog Mode

The Quick Menu and Thermal Smart settings also include a dedicated Rain & Fog Mode.
When enabled, the system changes the thermal image processing to improve image clarity and AI recognition accuracy in rain or fog.
The goal is to make vehicles, road conditions, and other objects easier to identify when normal visibility is reduced.

View attachment 93065

There is one trade-off.
Vantrue states that enabling Rain & Fog Mode can slightly reduce video smoothness.
A short stutter can also occur when the mode is activated because the camera switches its shutter settings.

This is normal behavior and does not indicate a malfunction.
Vantrue recommends disabling the mode during sunny weather or during clear nights without fog.


Using Thermal Smart While Driving


View attachment 93066

This is where the Pilot 2 becomes much more than a normal dashcam.
A traditional dashcam records what happens in front of the vehicle, but normally there is no reason to constantly watch its display.

The Pilot 2 is different. The thermal system and AI recognition are specifically designed to provide useful information while you are driving.
The large display can show the thermal view, recognized objects, warnings, distances, and other information in real time.
This is probably the part of the Pilot 2 I am most interested in testing.


There are quite a few questions I want to answer:

• How early can it detect pedestrians?
• How well does animal detection work?
• Can it detect objects before the driver can see them?
• How accurate is the distance estimation?
• How many false detections are there?
• How useful is it on completely dark roads?
• How much does Rain & Fog Mode actually help?
• How distracting is the display at night?
• How well do CarPlay/Android Auto and the dashcam functions work together?
• How reliable is the complete system?

My first impression of the hardware is very positive.

The Pilot 2 Full System is obviously much more complex than a normal dashcam, but the complete package feels extremely well thought out. The hardware feels high quality, the cables are clearly labeled, there are several mounting options, and almost everything required for installation is already included.

The thermal camera is ultimately the feature that will decide whether the Pilot 2 is just an interesting piece of technology or something that can genuinely improve visibility and safety during night driving.
I will follow up with real-world testing, thermal detection examples, normal image quality, parking mode, CarPlay, and general reliability.

More soon!

Looking forward to your test results~

 

[jsmith]

@Julian23

One thing I realized is the lack of a voice command for turning on Rain/Fog. I don't see much of a difference with the feature enabled, but I find it dangerous to be navigating the APP to enable this command while driving.

Ii suggested Vantrue add a voice command for this feature.

 

[mentadent]

I think Rain/Fog turns on the heater? I need to test with my thermal camera.

 

[Julian23]

I think Rain/Fog turns on the heater? I need to test with my thermal camera.

I'm not sure if the lens is heated?
OEM night vision system are but I'm not sure about the P2.

In the manual it says:

Rain & Fog Mode: When Thermal Smart is enabled,​

Rain & Fog Mode can be activated to optimize​

image clarity in rainy or foggy conditions, improving​

license plate and road condition recognition.​

​

and:
​

When enabled, it improves algorithm recognition​

accuracy, optimizes image clarity in rain and fog​

conditions, and enhances the ability to recognize​

road conditions.​

Enabling this mode may slightly reduce video​

smoothness. It is recommended to turn it off on​

sunny days and fog-free nights.​

If the recording screen briefly freezes at the​

moment of activation, it is a normal phenomenon​

caused by shutter switching and does not indicate​

a device malfunction.​

 

[mentadent]

Need to check that out. The NV300 Max had an option to heat it.

 

[jsmith]

Need to check that out. The NV300 Max had an option to heat it.

Manual doesn't mention any heating. Thinking it's a software optimization feature to turn on rain/fog

 

[Julian23]

Since the P2 is a camera system, I want to write about the performance of the front camera.
It's a 5MP Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 that records in 2560 x 1440P @ 30fps. These specs are just like the N4S.


During daytime the front camera is able to capture plates even with oncoming traffic.
It is able to capture everything that is going on nicely.

CPL on.

Focus on plates:

Unfortunately there are limitations to the performance.
When driving through a forest, the camera would require more bitrate. Unfortunately the bitrate is limited. This will cause a grainy image. Plates will be harder to identify.

Out of the forest everything is fine again.

 

[Julian23]

The nightime perforance is decent for a 5MP camera.
In cities it will have no issues at recording everything that is going on.
Plates and signs can be read without issues.

Driving at around 100kmh on rural roads, the P2 manages to capture a decent amount of plates of oncoming traffic.

It won't be able to capture every plate.

The design choice of using a 2K camera instead of a 4K camera comes with limitations. The S1 Pro Max for example, captures plates better.
But it's important to keep in mind all the other functions of the P2.


The interior camera is fixed with the front camera but can be rotated up and down.
The IR lights do a good job of illuminating the interior. Everything can be nicely seen.

Quick verdict regarding the cameras:
The front camera could use some more image tuning and a higher bitrate. I'm not sure what the hardware can handle but it would be nice.
Overall the performance is good for a 2K camera. Not the best of class of course but it works out.