We're only a week into 2026, but already there's a new world-first in the world of dash cams. Vantrue has revealed the first-ever dash cam to feature a thermal imaging camera.
The new Vantrue P2 (Pilot 2) dashboard camera can see heat signatures in order to identify pedestrians, animals, objects and potential obstacles up to 200 feet away. Whether you're driving after dark, in fog, or in heavy rain, the thermal imaging camera will detect hazards like sudden animals crossing in front of you, or a pedestrian appearing unexpectedly.
To monitor the thermal camera's video feed while driving, the Vantrue P2 kit includes a 6.25-inch high-brightness touchscreen display. This has the added benefit of built-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, thereby adding smart-cockpit features to vehicles of any age. A built-in HUD (head-up display) and fatigue alert adds even more value.
In addition to the thermal camera and monitor, the P2 contains a combined front+cabin camera, and a rear camera. The front camera uses an up-to-date Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor running at 2K resolution (1440p), while the cabin camera is Full HD 1080p. The rear camera uses another IMX675 sensor, and it too runs at 1440p, so image quality from the front- and rear-facing cameras should be identical. The cabin camera uses a STARVIS 2 IMX662 sensor, and all three cameras feature HDR to help them cope in high-contrast situations. STARVIS 2 sensors are Sony's latest image sensors designed for surveillance use (including dash cams) and promise superior low light image quality.
The Vantrue P2 4-camera dash cam also offers Wi-Fi 6 high-speed data transfer for faster video reviewing and file download, and it supports microSD cards of up to 1TB. 24/7 smart parking monitoring is also available, albeit with the use of a hardwire kit.
We await details of pricing and availability for the Vantrue P2, but this could shape up to be one of the most versatile and value-packed dash cams of 2026.
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