MiVue Drive 65 LM navigation test: navigation and camera in one

The sight of a GPS navigation device stuck to the windshield of a car is an everyday reality. More and more drivers are also choosing to install a recording camera, which may be helpful in investigating a possible car accident. However, multiplying items stuck to the windshield can limit visibility, and the numerous dangling cables can be just annoying. The solution comes with the MiVue Drive 65 LM navigation, which has a built-in camera. We tested the device during the last trips in a motorhome with a DMC 5t, where it was very important to navigate so as not to get stuck on a tonnage ban or under a too low viaduct.

First impression

My attention was immediately drawn to the large 6.2-inch screen and the Micro SD memory card included in the set, which allows you to enjoy the possibility of recording movies right after the first start. The other elements of the set are a handle with a suction cup, a user manual and a charger for the car's cigarette lighter.

I consider the latter to be a rather impractical solution, because a USB charger would be better, allowing you to charge the phone and navigation using a tiny USB hub (from the same cigarette lighter socket) or to charge and operate the device at home. Interestingly, in the manual, the manufacturer recommends that the navigation should be connected to a power source for at least 12 hours during the first charging, and that it should also be turned on. And since we can't recharge it at home, it means that the first tour should be very long.

The design of the device itself is beyond doubt and seems to be made of a nice and stiff material. The fairly large screen does not bend and the attached bracket looks very solid. Our test confirmed it - the handle held the device firmly against the glass and did not come off even once.

Operation of navigation and maps

The device has a menu in Polish. It is quite intuitive - you can easily find yourself in it and select the appropriate functions and enter the appropriate address or just the name of the campground, which is in their database. The navigation finds its position quite quickly and after entering the address, it efficiently analyzes the available routes in several variants (the fastest, the most economical, the easiest and the shortest). After selecting the appropriate route, we will start navigating.

Unfortunately, in order for the navigation to work, it must be permanently connected to a power source, because when disconnected, the battery lasts about 15-20 minutes.

As for the maps themselves, they are very accurate and there is nothing to stick to and their lifetime (and free!) Update is very encouraging to buy.

Navigation for motorhomes and caravans

Navigation has additional, rare functions, such as the ability to set the dimensions of the vehicle. This option may be especially useful if you are driving a larger motorhome or with a trailer. After entering all dimensions and GVM, navigation should lead us in such a way that we do not have to turn back due to a too low viaduct, tight turn or tonnage limit.

When selecting the appropriate vehicle (car / car with trailer / lorry), the alerts for the speed limits assigned to the respective vehicle type change immediately.

While driving a 5-ton motorhome on various roads in Poland and around city centers, the road was chosen very well and at the same time we compared the route with popular Google maps where you cannot choose the dimensions and weight of the vehicle.

Lane departure or collision warnings

The MiVue Drive 65LM Truck navigation has also been equipped with - as the manufacturer describes it - "advanced lane departure warning system (LDWS) and anti-collision warning system (FCWS)", which should warn us about too close a distance from the car in front of us and about leaving lane. Unfortunately, both functions need to be better refined, as the Too Close Alert did not go off once and the lane change warning went off too often.

Perhaps I should play more with the settings.

Camera in navigation

And here we come to the key element that distinguishes this navigation from all the others on the market today. The device has a camera that allows you to record everything that is happening in front of the car.

The camera works similarly to other car cameras and records the image in the time intervals set by us as separate files on a micro SD card. If the card becomes full, subsequent files are overwritten over the oldest ones. In the event of an important road incident, it is enough to press a button on the screen. Then the record from the last few minutes back and forth will be saved as an important event in a separate folder and as long as it is there, it will not be overwritten.

The quality of the recorded video is very high, thanks to the bright, wide-angle lens. It doesn't really matter if we are driving in rain, sun, shade or at night. The lens automatically chooses ISO and other settings to properly record the movie.

The very adjustment of the lens so that it "looks" on the road is very simple. You can rotate it freely, so you can point the navigation screen at yourself and center the lens towards the road. Thanks to the built-in Bluetooth connection, the camera can be connected to another Mio camera mounted in the back of the car and the entire footage can be archived on one card.

During recording, we can record parameters such as the current speed, the current time and date, GPS position and any overloads. In the settings, we can choose which of these data should be displayed during the projection of the film - quite a nice solution.

It may be quite problematic to use navigation in countries where the use of video recorders in a car is prohibited. Of course, we can turn off the recording option, but when stopped by the police we will definitely have to explain that we only use navigation.

Summary

I find the device very cool. The screen has been made in the right size, which makes the entire image very readable. However, some functions should be improved and others even eliminated, as the sheer volume of functions in a device that is primarily intended for navigation can be overwhelming.

I consider the combination of a camera and navigation to be a very good solution, especially valuable if we are driving a motorhome or a trailer on roads with beautiful views. Apart from the issue of evidence in the event of an accident, the camera can also be used differently - for example, create a film report from a trip, using the most picturesque shots.