For owners of a w221 S-Klasse with Night View Assist:
How effective do you find it? I personally think this technology, as per implemented by MB, is very cool. I have mostly read and watched positive reviews of it in the w221, but the other day, I viewed one Youtube video (Euro review: I don't remember the name or link) review in which at the end, the reviewed thought Night View was a gimick. As a night time test (while the w221 was stationary), he proceeded to show how Night View failed to pick up the image of a person visible in the wind shield by the illumination of the HIDs.
Now, it is my understanding that MB Night View Assist uses both radar and CCD image sensors...Is there a ratio as to how the image is constructed from these two technologies? Also, just as the shape of special jets (ex: F-117 Stealth Bomber) bounce radar signals in intentional ways, is the w221's radar system susceptible to interference or confusion by various shapes?
Also, my next Merc will probably be a w212 E-Class. If anyone knows, will Night View Assist appear as an option? I think I read somewhere that it will.
You've probably seen the top gear (or something similar) video where the driver stops at some point to test how far the IR camera can see. This is not the way to test it because the IR beams light up only when driving at certain speed (or higher). These are entertainment programs, not professional car reviews.
The Night View Assist is based on an IR camera only, but it isn't a passive system as on many other cars (that only use infra-red that is naturally emitted from warm objects) but MB also has IR emitters at the head lamps that extend the operating range and help seeing "cold" objects.
The radar sensors do not make any part of the view.
Still I consider Night View one of the least useful options, if the cost is taken into account. I'm not saying it would be useless but when buying with a limited budget, I would put higher priority for the majority of other options.
I have Nightview Assist on my new '08 S550. Must say that it's main value is in the "Gee whiz" category. Haven't found it to be very useful. It is very disorienting (read dangerous) to try and drive using that as your only visual input. And it doesn't penetrate weather conditions (fog, rain) much better that headlights. So on balance it is a waste of money. Now the Distronic Plus cruise however, is worth it at twice the price. Changed how I drive.
I agree with napaBill. I tend to be mesmerized by it and forget to look out the windshield. During precipitation, distortion from oncoming headlights reflections and windshield wipers tend to make things difficult to make out. In fact, in these conditions it is better not to use it. It is a "gee whiz" for friends however, as someone mentioned earlier.
Most USLESS toy that Mercedes ever came up with. $2000 option. Even if you try to look at it while driving - it makes you dizzy because it constantly moves. Viewing angles is really bad. I rather look through the window.
Also, why would make a night vision camera and YOU MUST have your headlight on. Defeats its purpose.
IMHO, it's more useful if you do some rural or mountain driving where there are close to no street lights. In a large city like New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles of course it'll be useless.
I think the principal value of the night-view is for the mountain or unincorporated road conditions where city street light sources are absent. My limited experience using it is to appreciate it as another tool for early detection of animals likely to dart in front of me - they stand out quite dramatically on the screen.
Also, on particularly dark stretches of road (when the pupils dilate), a single oncoming vehicle's headlights are enough to temporarily blind - a quick glance at the night-view is reassuring to know I'm not about to miss a curve.
Otherwise, as napabill said... it's a pretty cool gee-whiz feature.
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