W221_ooomph

Hey guys! I am actually a new member. I have a 2001 S500L and I wanna replace it with a W221 S500L. I got the brochure and I also heard about this feature called Night View Assist. Should I get this feature? Does it really help?

Red Marko

Don't get it, it's a gimmick. Worthless.

I used it twice, second time almost hitting a lamp post.
Although, I hear second generation, improved pedestrian recognition algorithm.

jettie1767

If you have a lot of dark country roads where you drive, it might be worth it. Other than that, I don't think there's much use for it.

Diesel Benz

In addition I think there must be a risk of wild animals entering the road. There should be some free space next to the road where the "hot spot" would be visible from the Night view display at a glance. Otherwise it is too stressful to follow the display or it would be too late anyway to find an object on the display. If the system was similar to Distronic Plus when it gives a warning on a possible collision, it would be much more useful.

CMS

My kids love it.
It's a nice feature but I only use it on very dark roads. Works very well.

Eddie Knopp

YOu need to get used to it - also really only effective on straight roads

MSL01

Its a fun little gadget for the passengers to marvel at, otherwise not much use for it if most of your driving is city driving.

trumpet1

Worthless. Never use it. The safety factor of having the ability to see something hundreds of feet ahead of you in the pitch black of night is OFFSET by the constant distraction of having to take your eyes of the road, look down, look at the road again to get your bearings, look back down at the screen, back up again, down again....finally I say "screw it". To truly assess what's going on ahead of you with night vision, you'd have to look up and down every 2 seconds at a speed of 55 mph. I actually feel dizzy if I stay focused on the screen as I get nervous about my potential peripheral obstacles. Not to mention the glaring brightness is distracting as well.

About the only time I use it is late in the evening when people are out walking on our neighborhood streets as I head to the house (what? maybe 20 , 30 seconds worth of driving time)

Now if it had heat seeking infrared sensors that produced a colorful image on the screen, it might get my due attention, but the overall black and white image doesn't enhance and alert of any real danger ahead. You have to constantly look up and down to get a concensus of what's going on , and with the adaptive xenon headlights, I really don't need any assistance in seeing well enough of what's ahead of me.
Just my opinion. I'm sure someone uses it routinely and for a good reason....I don't know.

nitinopp

Fifth Gear did not have a very positive review of it. You can look up the video on youtube.

wman

Used it a few times, after awhile you forget that it is even there.

irieblue

There have been 2 occasions (in 2 years) when It has been absolutely indispensable here in Northern California. It was on a very gray foggy day with low visibility of 20 feet where it picks up the brake lights of the car in front several seconds before you see it with your eyes. Also driving on the legendary HWY 1 at night, I leave it on so that I can see the edge of the road better.

WSH

Intuitively, looking at dash makes little sense for any alert, safety-oriented, precise driver...Ergonomics 101, no?

Would observe that '10 S/CL have supposedly smarter, higher-tech headlights, DistronicPlus/BrakeAssistPlus, and NightView

IMO, NightView is only helpful if artificial intelligence software recognizes suspicious stuff in path ahead; alerts driver via audible/visual warning; and is interlinked to DistPlus radar/BrakeAssistPlus, etc

I almost never drive at night anywhere but in city, but suspect smart headlamps/NtView/DistPlus/BrakeAssistPlus would be a valuable active safety feature for those who live in leafy, hilly suburbs (which often have many stray deer)....would guess most S/CL owners live in such settings; will be interesting to see how smart is '10 S/CL tech

Again, MB is at least 5-10 yrs ahead of P/F/VW (or anyone else) with this advanced safety engineering

Diesel Benz

Yes but they did not know how it works, the IR emitters only work at speed (was it 40 km/h) and they tested it when the car was stationary. Of course the IR camera works when the car is not moving but not at full strength.

In any case, I prefer the Distronic display at heavy fog or so, you can detect cars in front of you way further. And Distronic gives the beep if an object is approaching too fast.

AustinGuy

I've used it a few times in foggy conditions. Works amazingly in thick fog.

aschb

Forget it. Waste of money. No use in almost 3 years.

PAYRENT23

the only time i use it is when i think im batman and wanna be coool at 1am on an open road doin 110... other then that a tottally usesless feature for NY driving. =)

emayer

I agree it's useless for city driving but have found it extremely helpful out here in suburbia where bambies abound. Has saved my bacon a few times by allowing me to spot them a bit earlier. If only the car had an automated rifle defense system..... Lest I be flamed by PETA, no offense intended to animal lovers out there!

One question I have is whether the image becomes washed out by approaching against another car with the system active. Anyone experience this or does the system compensate? This could become more of an issue as the technology is broadened to the E class etc.

sharvay

Waste of money. Its fun at first to keep toggling the switch. Not to mention, all your relatives will drool over it. But you most probably won't use it. Rather get the electrically adjustable memory rear seats! That is soo worth the money IMO.

cjf_moraga

I have used it occasionally on dark bendy roads and it does illuminate some "dark areas" where your headlamps do not reach, but it has little value in any suburban area. IMO its big problem ergonomically is that the field of view is not wide enough to give you any sense of peripheral vision so it is hard to relate your feeling of where you are in your the car to your surroundings. Now if it were on a heads up display that would be different.

Chris

Red Marko

Chris,
You just nailed it.
The difference between 2D and 3D view. This is it.

emayer

Valid points. One of the advantages of the present display versus any HUD out there is the resolution. Have yet to see a comparable image. Having driven solely with the IR system on rural roads the major flaw I find is that the camera is located to the right of the rear-view mirror. As a result the image is such that it is though you're driving almost from the passenger seat. This takes some getting used to. Not sure why the camera wasn't positioned to the left of the mirror for US/ European spec cars....

A true 3D system is technically feasible requiring 2 cameras, processors etc. Wouldn't be surprised if this shows up sometime in the future.

As I mentioned for city drivers the system is a waste of money, and I'm not certain I'd purchase it were it a standalone option. Since I have it though, I can say that it has been helpful in spotting obstacles (particularly deer) at a distance on rural roads. Assuming it helps me avoid 1 strike, it covers the cost of the system and the incovenience of repairing the car!

Red Marko

I live in deer infested area (PA), tons of them here (NO bambie sentiment).
The chances, in my case, to spot a deer while driving, looking at the road and looking at the screen at the same time are almost zero. If you did it, you are lucky, I almost hit a lamp post, last time I tried...

Again, I hear that the newest system MY'10 has a new/improved pedestrian recognition algorithm.
Far cry to what I see an ultimate...
Deer GPS Injected Capsule Module (si-fi anyone?) monitoring system
Should I apply for a patent here ?

emayer

We actually live close by, I'm in the Lehigh Valley!

I find the night vision does help in spotting those deer a bit sooner, what I notice is either movement or eye reflection from a greater distance which arguably allows greater time to react. I tend to check those areas where deer are known to frequent. I can't prove a true benefit either, just an observation of what I believe may be the only utility of the system.

BTW I love the GPS tracker idea with some sort of audible/visual warning when near! I wonder if MB has developed a furry animal recognition system....

Red Marko

Holly smoke, that is really close, considering www(world wide web) range, I will say, 45 minutes away!
Care to barbeque over the weekend or two?
Kids can play in the pool and us, BIG time car talk.
Wifes, whatever (being brave here) they want to do...
Shoot me a PM !

emayer

Done! All respect to the mighty torquemeister CL600....

Good to know I'm not the only car nut in the region- getting the wives and our brood together sounds like an awesome plan. PM forthcoming....

Off to NJ motorsports park next weekend to track the R8. Let's see what's left of it after that!