In some parts of the world a dashcam is a virtual necessity for a driver’s legal safety. Just search YouTube for “dash cam insurance scams” (although, to be fair, some of those pedestrians may merely be drunk). That’s not so much of a problem here, but good evidence of fault in the case of a car accident is always useful. But Navman has enhanced some models in its MiVUE range with features that can actually help keep you safer, while improving their basic record and protect functionality.
The safety features are Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) alerts. These appear on the top two models in the range – the Navman MiVUE 690 SAFE and the MiVUE 698 DUAL CAM.
The essence of ADAS is that the camera watches what’s happening in front of you and warns you of unexpected happenings. In particular, if your car wanders out of your lane, it will alert you. Likewise if you approach too close to a car in front of you. If you’re stopped at traffic lights (or wherever), it will let you know if the car in front of you has moved off.
The MiVUE 698 DUAL CAM features, as the name implies, two cameras: one for the rear of the car. The MiVUE 680 SAFE, by contrast, adds support for two microSD cards instead of one. All the cameras require a microSD card (minimum of 8 or 16GB depending on the model, up to a maximum of 128GB). With the 680 SAFE, there’s a feature allowing you to copy important footage to the second card.
These models also share with the MiVUE 680 extremely useful features such as:
- Automatic locking of video footage and data when a collision is detected by the 3-axis G-Shock sensor
- GPS tracking so that the time and precise place of any incidents can be recorded
- Safety Camera alerts, to let you know of fixed red light and speed cameras should your speed be inappropriate for the circumstances. You can also add additional camera locations manually.
- Headlight warning, reminding you to switch them on when required
- Still photos with geotagging so that the location of the photo is saved
- Automatic video recording settings for day and night operation, with effective low light operation
- 2.7 inch display screen
The camera in all three models is a Super 2K FHD model with a resolution of 2304 by 1296 pixels, for greater than FullHD sharpness, the better to ensure that number plates and other fine details are properly captured. A high quality wide angle lens is used to capture what’s happening to the left and right in addition to the events straight ahead.
The MiVUE 680 has a recommended retail price of $249. The MiVUE 690 SAFE is $329 and the MiVUE 698 DUAL CAM, $429. You will need to purchase a suitable (ie. fast) microSD card. They are available at all major electronic retailers and come with one year warranty.
