By Cathy Parker
I am still undecided if this is an amazing bit of tech or tech overkill, in reality – it is probably both.
NZ CompanyVehicle and NZ4WD magazines are big fans of dash cams – we use one regularly in my own vehicle. The one we own however, is just that – a dash cam. It does not do anything else.
This tested MiVue 860DC is an excellent dashcam with a 2.7-inch touchscreen, 1080p full HD and a Sony low light sensor. The 860DC though is more – much more.
The most impressive – and probably the most useful additional feature – is a TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System). This lets you easily monitor tyre pressures without having to manually go around each wheel, but more importantly notifies you when the pressure gets too low.
As well as being a safety feature, TPMS can save fleets significant costs. Low tyre pressure is a major detriment to tyre life and increases fuel consumption.
In some countries all new cars require TPMS, although in NZ the systems are still rare – even on new cars – and the 860DC is probably the easiest way to retrofit one.
The 860DC is a very tidy solution. The kit comes with four special valve caps which transmit the pressures to a receiver that connects to the dash cam screen. You need to fit the button batteries in the sensors before installation and there are optional anti-theft lock rings included.
Unlike factory fitted units, the cap-mounted sensors are not prone to damage by tyre shops when tyres are being changed. All you need do is remove the caps prior to the dropping the vehicle off and your TPMS investment is no longer at the mercy of unintentional damage.
But wait; there’s more! The 860DC also comes with a rear camera, which can give picture in picture rear view (and recording) – we didn’t fit this for the review, as there is a bit of work required to run the cable, but it does give extra security.
The video can be streamed to your phone by Wi-Fi (which is also used by the TPMS) for either back up or monitoring. As part of the package, the 860DC has GPS built-in, so footage is GPS tagged for location. You also get safety (speed) camera alerts and alerts based on the posted speed limits.
In addition, it incorporates most of the typical ADAS (Advanced Driver Safety Alerts) safety alerts such as lane departure, proximity to a vehicle in front of you and driver fatigue, as well as alerts to turn your headlights on in low light situations.
Whilst the ADAS alerts are great in principle – especially if you have an older car that does not have this level of tech – they can be a bit annoying, as you get near constant sound alerts.
Fortunately, these can be turned off since the camera is not connected to the car’s systems thus, when you drive into a tunnel, you get a headlight warning even if the car has auto headlights.
We also tend to mount the camera high on the windscreen to the left of the interior mirror, as its not something you normally want to look at. It is much less obtrusive and means you can’t see the visual alerts – and you probably should not be looking at them even if the screen was closer to the driver, as it is up above the normal line of sight.
All this tech comes at a cost. The MiVue 740 – which offers a good camera with GPS capability – retails at $139, whilst the 860DC is $699.
With those prices, if you primarily want a dashcam, the 860DC is a major investment, but if you want a TPMS – remembering that they are great for fleet safety and dollar savings – then the MiVue 860DC is a great option and offers the bonus of the dash and rear facing camera.
