Vantrue Pilot 2 1-CH Thermal Camera for Car - Thermal-Only System, 6.25-inch CarPlay Screen, IP67

Add Heat Vision to a Vehicle That Already Has a Dash Cam. The Vantrue Pilot 2 Thermal-Only System Records a Bonnet-Mounted Thermal Camera on a 6.25-inch CarPlay Screen

Most work vehicles already carry a dash cam for evidence. What none of them can do is see past the headlights. On a haul road full of dust, a smoky fire ground or a paddock with stock in it after dark, the hazard is often a warm body the lights have not reached yet. The Vantrue Pilot 2 thermal-only system is a thermal camera for car, ute and work vehicle use that reads heat, not light, and shows it on its own screen.

Want the full rundown before you buy? Read our Vantrue Pilot 2 review.

Trusted AU store: We're an authorised Australian reseller, shipping from Melbourne within 24 hours^*. You get an 18-month warranty with no product registration required, local technical support, and our 30-Day No-Worries returns.

Who This Isn't For: This is not a dash cam replacement. It has no front, rear or cabin camera, so it records no number plates for a claim. If you want heat vision and evidence in one system, buy the Vantrue Pilot 2 thermal dash cam. For evidence only, the Vantrue N4 Pro S is the simpler choice. This suits vehicles that already run a dash cam.

DCG Highlights

What We Love

• A 12µm vanadium oxide (VOx) uncooled thermal detector, per Vantrue, which sees people, animals and running engines by their heat in total darkness
• Vantrue's super-resolution processing puts the thermal picture on screen at 1024 x 768, so shapes are easier to read at a glance than a raw thermal image
• AI markings with vehicle recognition out to 100 metres and pedestrian and animal recognition out to 70 metres per the manual, well past dipped headlights
• Animal detection that the manual says covers four-legged animals including kangaroos, cows, sheep and horses, which is the list a grazier cares about
• An IP67 rated thermal camera that lives on the bonnet or above the number plate, where the weather is
• A 6.25-inch IPS touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a right-hand drive mode, which updates an older work vehicle at the same time
• Rain and Fog Mode in the Thermal Smart menu, which Vantrue says improves recognition and image clarity in wet and foggy conditions

Good to Know

• It records the thermal view only. Thermal cannot read a number plate, a road sign or a lane marking, so keep your normal dash cam for evidence.
• The thermal camera has a 60° view per Vantrue, narrower than a typical dash cam, so an animal stepping off the verge can sit outside the frame.
• Pedestrian and animal detection are off by default. Switch them on in the Thermal Smart menu before your first night drive.
• The manual's parking mode settings list only the front, cabin and rear cameras, so do not buy this system for parked recording.

Why Does a Thermal Camera See What Headlights Miss?

A thermal camera sees what headlights miss because it measures heat, which every living animal and running engine gives off whether there is light or not. Headlights, your eyes and every normal dash cam rely on reflected light. At night that light stops at the edge of the beam, and dust, smoke and oncoming glare shorten it further.

The Vantrue Pilot 2 thermal camera sits outside the vehicle, because glass blocks the long infrared it reads, and builds a picture from temperature differences. A cow or a person stands out against cooler ground, and the Pilot 2 draws a box around them on the screen. The trade-off is that thermal needs contrast. On a hot evening, when the road is close to body temperature, an animal can fade into the background, and heavy rain scatters the image. Treat it as an extra set of eyes that warns. It does not brake or steer.

Top Benefits

• Warning past the headlights: Warm bodies show up on screen before the high beams reach them.
• Clearer through dust and smoke: Heat passes through dust and smoke far better than visible light does.
• Stock and wildlife flagged: Animal detection marks kangaroos, cows and other four-legged animals with their own alert.
• No doubling up: Your existing dash cam keeps recording evidence while the Pilot 2 handles heat vision.
• Weather on the outside: The IP67 thermal camera is built to sit on the front of the vehicle.
• A screen worth having: Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto bring maps and calls to an older vehicle.

How Does the Vantrue Pilot 2 Thermal-Only System Install?

1. Stick the main unit bracket to the dash where the screen does not block your view or an airbag, and insert a formatted microSD card.
2. Choose the thermal camera position. Vantrue recommends the centre of the bonnet, using the thumb screw where the gap to the water deflector below is 25mm or more and a set screw from 10mm to 25mm. Under 10mm, use the number plate bracket above the plate instead.
3. Power it on and check the view. The bonnet must not show in the frame, the wipers must clear the camera, and the plate must stay visible.
4. Route the thermal cable through the firewall into the cabin, away from the engine and exhaust, secure it with the Velcro fasteners, and plug in the car charger.

The firewall cable run is the real job here, not the screen. The hex wrench, screwdriver and pry tool come in the box, and the manual warns against pointing the lens at the sun for long periods or spraying it with a pressure washer.

What's in the Box?

• Vantrue Pilot 2 (P2) main unit with 6.25-inch touchscreen, and its mounting bracket
• Thermal imaging camera and thermal camera cable
• Number plate bracket, hex wrench, screwdriver and Velcro fasteners
• Car charger
• Adhesive stickers and pry tool
• Not included: front, cabin and rear cameras and their cables, microSD card, hardwire or step-down cable

Add Yours Today

Add a Vantrue 256GB High Endurance microSD card, since none is included, and browse the Vantrue range if your vehicle still needs a conventional dash cam. We ship from Melbourne within 24 hours^*, backed by our 30-Day No-Worries returns. We do not install cameras ourselves, but you can find someone local in our directory of independent installers. They are independent businesses, so you book and contract directly with them.

Last updated: October 2026

🔍 Still deciding? Read our Vantrue Pilot 2 review, or compare the range in our Vantrue dash cam comparison.

📖 Own this already? Read the Vantrue Pilot 2 manual and troubleshooting guide.