Yi Smart Dashcam Tested

By John Scanlan, Published on Mar 31, 2017

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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