Yi Smart Dashcam Tested

By John Scanlan, Published Mar 31, 2017, 07:31am EDT

Mega Chinese manufacturer Yi Technology is following up on its Yi 2 'Intelligent Camera' with a dash cam. This 'Smart Dash Camera', for ~$50, claims full HD video and "ADAS, which analyzes the speed, distance and other data, allows to determine the hazards arising from the surrounding objects while driving, and to warn the driver about them."

We bought one and tested it to see how it works.

The image below shows the camera mounted for testing, moderately visible through the windshield.

*******

** *** *****, *** Yi ***** **** ******'* major "*****" ******** **** **********, making **** *********** ********.

  • ******* ********* ******* ****** to ****** ****** *********** vehicles ***** ******* ********** on ******** ***** ********* (approaching ********, ****** ****, nothing ** ***, ***.).
  • **** ********* ******* ********** triggered **** **** ******* centered ** *** ****, despite ******* ****** *********** on *** ******.

*******, ** * ******** (not *****) **** ***, the ** ****** ******** solid ***** ******* ***, night, *** ** ****, and ** ****** ***** than **** ****/****** *** accessible ******. ************, ****** app ******** ****** ****, making **** ********* **** convenient **** **** ******* and ******** ******* ******* than ***** *** ******'* on ***** ********.

*******

*** ** ***** **** can ** ****** ****** *** ~$** ***. ***** ****** ***** dash ******* *** ** found ******, ******* **** ******* for * ****** **** with **** / ****** app ****** *** ****** is ************ ******.

Physical ********

** *** ***** ***** we **** * **** at *** ******** *************** and ******** ** *** Dashcam.

Forward ********* ******* - *** ********

** *** **** ******* collision ******* *** ****** inaccurate, ********** ***** ******** for ******** **********, *********:

  • **** **** **** ** other ******** ** *****
  • ******** ********
  • ******** ******** ** *** shoulder
  • ******* ****** *******
  • ******* ** * *** light/in * ******* ***, parked

*** *******, *** ***** below ***** *** ******* being ********* **** ******* another ***:

** **** ** *** camera ****-******** ******* ********* warnings, ** **** ****** to ****** **** ** expected.  **** *********** ***** vehicles ** * **** rate ** *****, ***** were ** ********.

Lane ********* ******* - *** ********

*** **** ********* ******* feature ** ******** ** dynamically ********* ** *** lane ******** **, **** alert *** ****** **** *** vehicle ******. ***** ** the ******'* *******, * *****-**** is ******** ** ***** with *** ****** ** your **** *** *** horizon. **** ***********, *** cross-hair ***** ** *** and **** **** ***** the ****** ***** ********** to ***** *** ****/*******, then ****** ** **** when **********.

** *** *****, *** calibration ******* *** **********/*********** **** ** the **** **** *** cross-hair ******** ****** ** *** sky, *** ******** ** the ****, ** ***** lanes **** *** *** being ******** ** ****** than *********** *** ****/******* position. ***** ** **** the *** *********** ****** alongside * ********** *****.

***** ** ** ******* of *** **** ********* warning ***** ********. *** vehicle ** ******, *** cross-hair ***** **** *** camera ** ********** *** it ******** * **** departure ******* **** ** movement **** *** *******.

Image *******

*** ******'* ***** ******* was ********** ** **** the ******* ****** ** vehicle ******** ** ***** of **** ****** *** day, ~**-**' ** ***** of *** ******. **** the ****** ** ~**' or **** **** * license ***** ******** ** front ** ** ** is ****** ** ** read.  *** ****** **** not ** **** ** provide ******* ****** ** safe ********* *********.  ** is **** **** ** provide ***** ******* ***** characters **** *********** * vehicle **** ** **** sign, ******* *****,  ******* lot, ** ***** ***** ********* situation.

** *****, ****** **** dim ******* ** ***** illuminated ** ********** ** streetlights, **** ****** *********** or ******* (*****). ***** was ********** *** ******** directly ** ***** ** the ******, *** ******* in *** ********* **** difficult ** ***, ** possible ** ***.

**** **** ** ***** streets *** **** **** can ** **** ** decreased ******* *** ** limited ** **** **** the ***** ** *** headlights, ** *********** *****.

Mobile *** - ******** *********

*** ****** ******** **** ***** accommodates ********** *** ****** ***, which ******** ********* ******** to *** ******'* ** board ******** ** **** as **** **** ****.

*** ****** *** *** three *** *********:

  • **** *******: *** ****** *** **** ** more ********** *** ******* to ******* *******, ** clips *** ** ***** to * ****'* ****** phone ******* ** ********* the ** **** ** be *******, ******* ** many/most *** **** **** cams.
  • ******** *******: ***** *** **** ****** configuration ******** ** *** device ******* ***** *** typically ****** ** ****** menus ** *********** **** hardware *******. 
  • **** ****: ****** **** **** ** displayed ** *** ****** itself, *** ****** ** small (~*.*"), ****** ****** positioning/aiming ****** ** * mobile ******.

***** ********* *** ***** in *** ******** *****: 


Mobile *** *****

***** ** *** ****** app **** ***** * minute, **** **** ***** steps:

  • **** *** ** **** to ******** *** ***
  • ******* ** *** ** WiFi *******, ** ******** by *** ***
  • ***** *** ******** / change **** *** ******** if *******

Test **********

*** **** ** ** date ******** *** **** at *** **** ** our ****:

** ********** ***** **** Camera:*-*.**.***-**

Comments (13)

Avatar

Randall Raszick

03/31/17 02:20pm

Can you disable the "analytics" in the camera? Aside from those, a $50 dash cam with WiFi connectivity and a mobile app and decent image quality seems like a heck of a bargain.

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John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Randall Raszick | 03/31/17 02:40pm

Randall - Yes, the analytics can be disabled.  The wifi/app made testing easier, eliminating the handling of the camera / memory card / reaching over the center console across the cabin of my car.

edit to original response: If you look at the gif of the mobile app / settings image / the ADAS you can see when I took the screen shot the Intelligent Driving Assistant features are turned off.  You can control them through the camera's on-board menu or through the app as shown in the gif.

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Undisclosed #1

03/31/17 02:22pm

After reading this article and then searching the archives for additional dashcam articles, I think a survey of what's being used would be very informative.  We have been talking about installing them in our security trucks on property.  Obvious concerns are ruggedness, mounting, accessibility, tampering, reliability, etc.

Plus, I've been keen to get a dashcam for my commute (lots to see on I-78) but just haven't made the time to do the research yet.

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Carter Maslan

Camio | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/01/17 03:51pm

Undisclosed #1 can we talk with you for 10 minutes about your security truck scenario? We're making this 4G/LTE+WiFi camera Camio-ready and have questions about minimum viable product for its being outstanding as a dashcam in your scenario. Please reply to carter@camio.com.

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/04/17 02:46pm

If you want something a bit more professional than a Dashcam, we have a complete fleet management and mobile surveillance solution.

video intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIFqAU7wbSE

product links: http://www.everfocus.com.tw/_product/vehicle-surveillance_mdvr/#accordion

 

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Randall Raszick

03/31/17 02:27pm

Agreed. Dashcams are a little off IPVM's raison d'etre, but they are useful and articles about them are a nice extra.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

03/31/17 02:58pm

Does it phone home with geo-location??? Sorry, couldn't resist. 

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Randall Raszick

03/31/17 03:17pm

Of course not, that's what the NSA has your phone do! :)

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Kamen Kostov

04/03/17 12:53pm

Can the Wi-Fi be turned off? Since 99.9% of the time you won't be connected to the camera it will be nice to have an option to turn the Wi-Fi on/off.

From what I read online the camera records in a 3 min loop. So anything older than that can't be reviewed.

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John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Kamen Kostov | 04/03/17 01:46pm

WiFi can be disabled from the camera menu (shown below).  The SSID and password can be changed via the on board menu as well as the mobile app.  

 

The recorded clips each have a duration of 3 minutes or less. If you check the gif above, "playback", it shows days of recording in the timeline.

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Dwight Linden

In reply to Kamen Kostov | 04/05/17 06:13pm

Hi Kamen. Dash cams usually record in 2, 3 or 5 minute loops (per my experience).  That means these are stand-alone clips which are time-stamped, so you can quickly sort through in your archive for specific times/dates of events.  

These short clips are saved in chronological order until the memory card is filled up.  So, depending on the size of your memory card and your other settings, you would have hours upon hours of video clips captured.  Typically, once your memory card is filled up, the new videos clips will overwrite the oldest chronological videos in your archive.  As such, you have much more than just 3 minutes of video loop.  

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John Poole

04/05/17 02:11pm

IPVM's foray into dashcams may broaden its subscribers and readers.  IPVM might even have two tiers of subscriptions: 1) the usual, and 2) dashcams with a lower subscription fee.

IPVM is well poised to become the industry leader in dashcam evaluation.

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Undisclosed #1

08/17/17 07:54pm

If IPVM decides to review any other dashcams, I can comment that I am happy with my ROAV C1 Pro.  A friend just bought an 'as seen on tv' rearview mirror with camera after being wrongly accused of a traffic violation and it was enough encouragement for me to pick up one for myself considering the mileage I drive. 

Fun toy with GPS, WiFi, mph, and a gyro to trigger 'protect this recording'

My kids go to school at the school in this article, small world.  If IPVM wants a recording from my dashcam feel free to pm me with what you'd like to see

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