There’s a reason why dash cams are so popular right now and why even Tesla has a version of it they call Sentry Mode that utilizes the car’s built-in cameras. Dash cams help you record incidents that would otherwise go undetected and provide evidence in case something damaging or counter to your claim occurs. That means accidents, break-ins, and even moving violations – each of those can be recorded as evidence later when needed. That’s why a dash cam is crucial and is honestly one of the first additions you should have on any vehicle you own. One of the newest players in the dash cam sector is iOttie, which isn’t new to car accessories. Their new iOttie Aivo View is a compelling first outing that features up to 1600p recording, loop recording, built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and works with Alexa.
The iOttie Aivo View, as I stated above, is their first foray into dash cams. It’s a fairly small unit, though not the smallest I’ve seen, but can still be installed where it’s out of your line of sight. Spec-wise, there’s a lot to like about the iOttie Aivo View. Mainly its ability to record at 1600p 30fps is different and not something I’ve really seen before. Most dash cams stick to 1080p, 1440p, or full 4K. This one records just slightly above 2K resolution. It also has built-in GPS, Wi-Fi for file transfers, and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth is mainly there for the included remote button that can be used to snap photos or capture emergency video.
The dash cam also includes many automated features such as loop recording and emergency collision detection. The built-in G-Sensor can detect collisions and will immediately start auto-recording and saving the footage to a protected folder.
Installation isn’t too difficult either. The kit includes a very long USB cable along with a car charging adaptor and clips for cable management. The iOttie Aivo View also utilized a microUSB port for power and can take microSD cards for storage.
What the iOttie Aivo View doesn’t have though is a display. That means that if you want to view your video and photos on the go, you’ll need to download the iOttie Connect app to your phone. You’ll also need this if you want to adjust any of the dash cam settings such as recording resolution and length. That’s my only real gripe about the dash cam as I do prefer ones with displays so you don’t have to fiddle with a companion app. Also, this only comes with a 3M mount and no optional suction cup mount. That means that once it’s on, it’s pretty permanent. However, the dashcam itself does detach from the mount via a magnet, so that’s at least a plus.
Let’s talk about the video quality now, which I must say is pretty good. Because it uses the Sony STRAVIS image sensor, you’ll get a great range of colors and details both during the day and at night. We left the settings at 1440p 30fps which is the sweet spot for quality and file size. Above is a sample video from one of our drives and you can see that the video is pretty clear. There’s minimal glare from lights and you can make out license plate numbers. Overall on par with what you’d expect from 1440p recording.
Lastly, I’ll shoot through the Alexa stuff fairly quickly as I don’t really use Alexa, but if you have Alexa on your phone, you can control the iOttie Aivo View through Alexa by using voice commands.
So the iOttie Aivo View is a pretty good first outing from iOttie. It has many of the features you want in a dash cam despite not having a built-in display. The video quality is good, it’s easy to install, and it’s small enough that you can install it in a place that is out of the way. Even if you had to install it in plain view, it looks good enough where it isn’t an eyesore.
The iOttie Aivo View is available now on Amazon.
