Review | Night vision systems for cars: Lanmodo Vast an asset for unlit roads in unfamiliar places
- Mounted on your car dashboard or windscreen, this camera system lights up the road ahead – and behind, if desired
- System can be fitted in most vehicles, and gives driver a colour display; fewer controls and a recording function would make it even better
Are you planning to take a road trip in rural parts of Asia that might stretch into the night? Driving along poorly lit or unlit roads in unfamiliar places can be a nerve-wrecking experience. That’s where night vision equipment, such as the Lanmodo Vast Night Vision System, comes in: a gadget for your vehicle that improves road safety by helping you see better in dark or gloomy conditions.
The Lanmodo Vast is essentially a camera system that either sits on top of the dashboard or is mounted on a vehicle windscreen. The device incorporates a large, 8.2-inch, 1080-pixel-resolution display screen that operates at 30 frames per second. A 28mm optical lens in the back of the unit delivers the night vision magic and has an advertised sensitivity of 0.0001 lux (meaning the device can “see” in darkness equivalent to an overcast night sky).
There are buttons along the top of the left-hand side of the device, which are used to turn the device on and off, switch between front and rear camera views – if the optional rear camera is installed – manage display settings such as brightness and contrast, toggle between colour and black-and-white views, and flip or rotate the video display.
Lanmodo says that, unlike the expensive, built-in night vision systems offered by some luxury-car manufacturers, its aftermarket gadget, which offers a 36-degree view at full HD resolution, can be installed in practically every vehicle. The device’s highly sensitive camera relies on intelligent algorithms, gain amplification and image optimisation to capture the road ahead in colour at night, a step up from the black-and-white images of competing products.
The Lanmodo Vast arrives in a box with all the requisite accessories for installation, including power cable, car charger adapter, suction cup and non-slip mat.
I tested the front-facing unit without the rear-view camera, though the bundled unit comes with connector for the rear-view camera. While that caused some momentary confusion, it proved relatively easy to sort out, as every plug can only be plugged into its associated pair.
For users with the know-how, or those willing to pay a shop to do it, an adapter (included) lets you power the Lanmodo Vast from the on-board diagnostic (OBD) port found in all modern vehicles. As the OBD port is typically under the dashboard, this option gives drivers a much cleaner appearance, and saves you a car charger slot for your smartphone. Most users will probably choose to power their Lanmodo Vast using the car charger, though.
You will need to decide whether you want the Lanmodo Vast on the dash or the windscreen. Because I already have an in-vehicle camera installed, I opted to go with the dash option. This entails screwing in a rigid plastic stand with the Philips screw included, and inserting it into a non-slip mat. The last step was particularly challenging and took longer than I expected because of how tight the fit was. While you only need to do this once, it would have been great if this had been done in the factory.
Once in place, you will need to adjust the Lanmodo Vast’s front-facing camera module so that it points straight ahead. If necessary, the camera can be rotated to the correct angle. This process is relatively straightforward and should take just a few minutes.
I placed the device on the centre console in my vehicle and the non-slip mat adhered surprisingly well to its smooth plastic surface. Whether I was negotiating the steep ramps of multi-storey car parks, road humps or speed regulating stripes, the Lanmodo Vast stayed firmly in place. However, you may need to use adhesive tape if the surface of your dashboard has a textured finish.
Once installed, the device powers on in around four seconds. In brightly lit conditions, the Lanmodo Vast can be somewhat distracting and should probably be switched off. While the image it produces can be somewhat grainy at night, there is no question that its video imagery is significantly clearer than what you see with your naked eye.
The usefulness of an in-car night vision system may not be obvious to those who have not driven on unlit roads or in poor conditions. The ability to quickly discern that a patch of darkness is an obstacle as opposed to a shadow or minor depression can mean the difference between an accident and stopping in time. Being able to see and discount potential threats without squinting or second-guessing also allows for more confident (and faster) driving.
The Lanmodo Vast isn’t perfect by any means. The seven buttons along the top could probably be redesigned so there are just three or four without compromising functionality. And adding the ability to record what it shows you would make the Lanmodo Vast a more compelling purchase.
Conclusion
The Lanmodo Vast is a niche product that should enhance safety when driving at night. While it is less useful in well-lit cities, I consider it indispensable for road trips to unfamiliar places where night driving is expected, and in rural or sub-urban areas. If it had a recording function, it would be the perfect holiday gadget for use with rental cars as well.
Price: US$499 (Front camera only)
