Pioneer Dashcams Debut in India with 4K Video and AI Features
Pioneer Smart Dashcams have been launched in India. The devices are the latest automotive safety and mobility solutions from the Japan-based audio equipment company and come with various capabilities powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Some models also support 4K resolution video recording, low-light video enhancements and Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) features. The new portfolio consists of four models — VREC-H120SC, VREC-H320SC, VREC-H520DC and VREC-Z820DC — catering to different price segments. All the products are reportedly designed and manufactured at the company’s India-based research and development (R&D) centres.
Pioneer Smart Dashcams Price in India
The first offering in Pioneer Smart Dashcams is the VREC-H120SC, which is priced at Rs. 5,399 in India. The second and third models, VREC-H320SC and VREC-H520DC, are priced at Rs. 11,399 and Rs. 18,499 respectively. The most premium offering is the VREC-Z820DC, the price of which has not been announced yet.
Pioneer India reports that the entire dashcam portfolio will be available for sale from September.
Features of Pioneer Smart Dashcams
Pioneer VREC-H120SC Smart Dashcam has been introduced as the most affordable option for entry-level buyers. It offers 1.5K resolution video recording and 120-degree field of view (FoV). The dashcam also supports parking mode and event recording, in case of collisions. It has a maximum storage capacity of 128GB via micro SD card.
Pioneer Smart Dashcam VREC-H120SC
The Pioneer VREC-H120SC Smart Dashcam builds on all the features of the budget option, with the addition of a 7.6-inch screen. It can rotate a full 360 degrees and gets support for dual-channel input, time-lapse and loop recording, and an extended memory support of up to 512GB via microSD card. The dashcam also comes with built-in GPS, which records precise location data for route and speed tracking. Another addition is ADAS support (via voice prompts only).
Positioned as a premium offering from Pioneer India, the VREC-H520DC gets similar features as the aforementioned model but improves the video recording resolution to 2K. It also expands ADAS capabilities with lane departure warning, forward collision warning and stop and go alerts. The dashcam also comes with halo reduction, which is claimed to provide better footage, especially at night.
Pioneer Smart Dashcam VREC-Z820DC
The company’s most premium offering is the VREC-Z820DC, which comes with a 7.2-inch display. The device gets a night vision camera with a Sony Starvis-2 image sensor and a 139-degree FoV. It can record videos in up to 4K resolution in HDR. Pioneer India says that it uses AI Night Vision to bring brightness, balance exposure and enhance the video. Like the VREC-H520DC, this model also gets ADAS alert and GPS logging capabilities.
Using AI, it also supports traffic sign detection, a feature that rarely works in India due to graffiti or posters defacing the road signs. Speaking to NDTV Gadgets 360 about tackling the issue, Manish Bhasin, Product and R&D at Pioneer India, highlighted that its dash cams are trained on a dataset of images specific to India and its road conditions. If humans can see and read the road sign, the AI will also do so, using algorithms.
The company added that this model is powered by a neural processing unit (NPU) that handles the AI tasks on the device, with the data being stored locally.
The entire Pioneer Smart Dashcam lineup is said to be compatible with the ZenVue Dash Camera app. Users can limit distractions, turn notifications on and off, and adjust other settings through the app.
