Night vision systems

So you want to drive at night with a known night vision impairment?
Hmmm.
Not sure about MN but here in IL you are asked a series of questions when you
apply for a License or Renewal. If you don't admit to a medical issue your license
can be revoked otherwise your license is just restricted to daytime driving only.
I can't even imagine what would happen if (God forbid) there was an accident
and it was determined the only way one could see is with that device the lawyers
for the victim(s) would have a field day.

 

not judging... but be aware that all digital video systems have latency. It isn't much, but just another factor to consider. Analog standard-def systems exist and have much less relative latency, but obviously the picture is lower resolution.

 

I have factory night vision system in my BMW. It's automatically enabled when the low beams are on, and you can select to display the picture on the navi screen. The night picture is more of a supplement to the main functionality which is to detect and alert re pedestrians and wild life. For the picture itself there's a fraction of a second lag, and the quality is greatly affected when it rains (basically, you can't see sh#t).

Long story short, I highly doubt a standalone aftermarket unit can be good & safe enough to compensate for any kind of vision deficiency.

 

I remember someone posted mod on Prius with night vision sensor, but I can't find it. I don't think it was for a vision problem, but more for fun project. I will post the link if I find it.

 

Having some passing familiarity with night vision scopes, I was a little skeptical of this system but the YouTube reviewer was pretty impressed with it.

Presuming you aren't mistaken for one of the idiots that we all see out there watching video on the fly, I'm going to have to say that this gizzywhopper won't hurt anything and might actually help a little.
However (comma!!!) I would use this as a small aid while driving at night and not as something that i would rely upon to enable me to drive at night.

None of us are getting any younger, and some day my own deteriorating senses and reflexes are going to force me to hang up the cleats, and so I understand the temptation to leg that out a little bit since mobility is important to independence......BUT!!!...drive carefully!!!

If you squish somebody's kid, the parents are going to understandably be a little upset about that.
...and having a Geezertronics-2000 FLIR system show up in the wreckage might look a little bit like a winning lottery ticket to some starving lawyer out there.

 

Maybe get a salvage Blackhawk Helicopter and use the FLIR off of that. You’ll need that cool helmet with the mini display for the best functionality. 50 cal optional.

 

Yeah, that's what I have read. I found the thread. I thought that was cool when I first read it.
Thermal Camera Installed | PriusChat

 

I'm thinking that they don't sell many of those.
Those systems look cool in the movies but they aren't really optimal for driving when there are other vehicles nearby since they limit field of view but the BANE of helicopter combat operations at night (other than return fire) has always been.....dust and snow....which are exacerbated while using FLIR systems. This will translate into a similar reduced performance when driving at night during rain and snow while FLIR ops are in progress.
No big deal if you're a normally night adapted human....since you have the ability to pull over and wait until conditions improve but it's something to think about if you're not a high functioning night driver.

They use .30 cal these days.
Ammo is heavy and you get better fuel economy with the lighter 7.62 rounds....

I'm thinking that deer avoidance as well as dear avoidance might actually be improved a little.

 

Here are a few:
https://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/list/manufacturer/sikorsky/model-group/uh-60a-black-hawk

 

I don't see the .50 cal option listed on any of them. And even if one can find the parts for that option elsewhere, the 1986 licensing deadline will be a bit of a problem.

 

If you were to spend the money, you'd probably be best served by retrofitting the FLIR system from an old Cadillac.

There's a joke here about being a flying AK-47.

There's something you don't see in the Neiman-Marcus gift catalog....

 

The baddies use AK-47s becuase they get to PICK what they use.
Usually when they pick UP something different, they swap it out for the venerable '47 Kalashnikov, and some pocket change.
AK-47s use a 7.62x39 round which was replaced with a smaller round (5.56x39) in the 70's because it was "better" which is POG-speak for "cheaper." That smaller bullet was used in an AK-74 because it was developed in........1974.
The Rooskies had something of an unfortunate history of copying OUR junk, literally, before we worked all of the kinks out which is why they waited until the 70's before copying our 1960's "superior bullet technology.'
Like the US and despite negative propaganda thereof, the 5.56 is often not beloved by the Rooskies OR our Forces.....and the 7.62 is staging something of a BIG resurgence in popularity in both services.
7.62x51 for NATO and 7.62x39 for the Rooskies.

It usta be that the folks behind the bamboo curtain used Rooskie stuff, but they went 100-percent domestic in the 90's with a unique bullpup rifle that feeds on 5.8x42.

Apologies for the squirrel chase.
We now return you to our previously scheduled thread, already in progress..............