Much more than just another dash cam, the Raven by Klashwerks ($299) is touted as a complete connected car system that lets you see where you're going, where you've been, and how you got there.
It uses two cameras, LTE cellular technology, and your car's OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) port to let you monitor activity on the road ahead as well as inside your car, using your phone or a desktop PC.
Although the Raven brings some of the coolest car tech out there, you'll need a monthly subscription to take advantage of all it has to offer.
We got our hands on a pre-production unit and gave it a ride, and have some first impressions ahead of its release later this year.
Design and Features
Measuring 2.0 by 7.7 by 1.1 inches (HWD), the Raven looks like an upside-down rearview mirror.
The black enclosure is jam-packed with the latest technology, including GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE cellular radios, motion and air pressure sensors, a speaker, and a pair of noise cancelling microphones.
It's powered by a Qualcomm SnapDragon 650 CPU and boasts a full color display, although most of the information is shown in white to avoid distracting the driver.
The Raven houses two cameras: one is on the rear of the device facing the road, and the other is on the front, facing the car's cabin.
The road camera has a 140-degree field of view, and the cabin camera is slightly narrower in angle at 130 degrees.
Both record in 1080p.
The device attaches to your car dash using an adjustable mount with adhesive backing, or you can attach it upside on your windshield (the display will reorient itself).
It comes with an eight-foot data cable that plugs in to your car's OBD-II port, which is typically located on the driver's side, just below the steering wheel.
The LCD can be configured to show different status groups including Speed and Clock, Fuel and Speed, RPM (tachometer) and Coolant Temperature, or Altitude and Heading.
It'll also display navigation aids such as Next Turn and ETA when the Navigation feature is enabled.
One of the Raven's neatest features is that it can stream live video from both cameras to anyone you want to share it with.
Simply press the Share button in the app to send a link invitation via text or email, and the recipient will be able to see what's happening on the road and in the car's cabin in real-time.
Eventually you'll be able to have two-way audio communications with the car's occupants, but that's not yet enabled.
Another cool feature is Gestures: When you're driving and see something of interest, you can use a hand gesture to tell Raven to go back 20 seconds and put aside the next minute of video in a Short Clip.
Simply move your hand toward the device to begin the process.
You'll hear a beep and see a brief white flash that lets you know the camera is recording.
In addition to Short Clips the Raven also creates a Trip Card for each trip your car takes.
It contains time-lapse video, a journey map, all stops and starts, event-triggered video, and fuel usage data.
Other enabled features include alerts for aggressive acceleration, harsh braking, engine on/off, low battery, and turn-by-turn navigation with in-app maps and spoken directions.
There are lots of other features that have yet to be enabled but are on the way, including car health diagnostics, driver reports, speed limit notifications, geofencing support, traffic and accident alerts, and parked alerts that let you know what's going on when you're not in your car.
These include Loud Sound, Smashed Glass, Car Bumped, Car Moved, and Door Opened alerts.
You can access the Raven via an Android or iOS mobile app or a web-based console.
The web console lets you view live video and a navigation map, and you can share trips, but the mobile app offers more functionality, at least at the time of this writing.
The app opens to a Dashboard screen that contains a video window up top and a navigation map window below that display your most current navigation request.
In between is a thin panel that displays the name of your vehicle and a fuel level gauge.
It will also show any vehicle problems once the car diagnostics feature, which scans your car's onboard computer for error codes, is enabled.
There's a small camera button in the bottom right corner of the video panel that lets you toggle between the front and cabin cameras.
There are two buttons on the map: one lets you share the current trip by sending a link via email or text message, and the other lets you find your current location on a map and create a navigation route using the search function or by using a long press to create a route on the fly.
At the bottom of each screen are buttons for the Dashboard, Driver Reports, which when available will present a report based on data such as driving speeds, distances, and amount of driving time.
The History button opens a calendar where you can view Trip Cards for a specific day, and the Media Manager button takes you to a screen with all available video clips and their date and time.
Tap any clip to download it to your phone (if you're using an iPhone you must be in the car with your phone connected to the Raven in order to download video).
The Settings button takes you to a screen where you can determine what is displayed on the Raven's LCD panel and set its brightness level, turn alerts on and off, and sign out of your account.
Klashwerks offers a free three-month trial subscription with each Raven that gives you access to all of its features, including an LTE connection with 24/7 access.
Once the trial is up you can subscribe to a Basic Plan ($8 per month) that gives you full access with up to 60 Live Check-Ins (live video streams).
A Video Streaming Plus Plan ($16 per month) gives you everything plus 150 Live Check-Ins, and a Live Streaming Power User Plan ($32 per month) gives you everything plus 400 Live Check-Ins and remote access to video stored in the cloud.
If you choose not to pay a monthly fee you'll still be able to use Raven as a dash cam with gesture-triggered recording and have it display speed, compass, fuel, and altitude readings, similar to the Hudly.
You'll also have access to the Media Manger in the app and have the ability to view historical driver reports and trip data.
Installation and Performance
To install the Raven I attached it to the mounting bracket and affixed it to the windshield of my Ford F-150 using the supplied adhesive.
I was able to tuck most of the power cable away and out of sight, but there were areas where it remained exposed (a thinner cable would be easier to hide).
I made sure Bluetooth was enabled and downloaded the Raven app.
I created an account and entered the activation code that was sent to my registered email address.
Then, following the in-app instructions, I connected the device to my car's OBD-II port and gave the vehicle a name.
The Raven was identified and registered within seconds, and I was ready to hit the road.
I tested the Raven over a period of several weeks and during that time the folks at Klashwerks were adding features via app updates.
As mentioned, several features were not yet available, but the Raven's active features worked well.
Hand gestures made it easy to capture video without having to take my eyes off the road, and they worked every time without fail, capturing the action prior to my gesture and recording the following minute of action.
The speedometer was spot-on accurate, and turn-by-turn directions worked pefectly.
Video quality from both cameras is relatively sharp, with good color representation.
I love the time-lapse feature as it makes it easy to find a specific point in time rather than having to view an entire road trip video.
The display actually consists of two side-by-side 1-inch square panels that are sharp and clear, even when viewed in direct sunlight.
However, some images, such as the Gesture recording timer, were a bit too small and difficult to read.
There appears to be room for larger 1.5-by-1.5-inch display panels, which would go a long way toward making certain text easier to read, or possibly a larger one-piece panel.
I did encounter a few issues in testing, but again, this was not a final production unit.
One such issue had to do with slightly noisy cooling fans that would kick in frequently and were occasionally accompanied by an Overheating alert on the Raven's display.
Restarting the device usually resolved this problem, but at one point during testing the unit stopped working altogether and wouldn't restart.
A Klashwerks spokesperson informed me that my Raven had become corrupted and a fix was pushed to the device.
Additionally, the adhesive that holds the Raven's mount to the windshield is weak and gave way after a couple of days in the sun.
I had to constantly press the mount back on the windshield, but it would come loose again after an hour or so.
And finally, I noticed that the Raven drew power from my truck's battery while plugged in to the OBD-II port, even when I wasn't using it.
According to Klashwerks, the battery draw is not significant and the device will automatically shut down if it senses that battery is getting below a certain voltage level, but in my testing it drew enough power to trigger a low-battery alert on my truck's Sync communications system, which in turn shuts down the Sync's audio playback when the engine is not running.
Conclusions
Whether you're interested in keeping tabs on how your teenager drives and where they have been, or if you just want to document your road trips with video and maps, the Raven has you covered.
This smart car device lets you use simple hand gestures to capture events on the road and will use the cabin camera to connect with family members and friends to let them know you're OK and to share your trip with them.
In our tests, recorded video appeared sharp and colorful, and time-lapse video made it easy to find segments of a road trip without having to view the entire clip.
Turn-by-turn navigation also worked quite well.
Because I was testing a pre-production unit, several features were not yet enabled and there were a few issues that need to be ironed out before the final release, but if our early impressions are any indication, the Raven looks to be one of the smarter car tech offerings we've seen in some time.
Cons
Uses battery power while the car is turned off.
iOS users must be in the car to download video clips.
Many features require paid subscription.
Overheating issue in testing.
Needs stronger adhesive.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Raven from Klashwerks lets you see what's going on in and around your car even when you're not in it, and offers live video communication, recorded trip data with video clips, turn-by-turn navigation, and aggressive driving alerts.
Much more than just another dash cam, the Raven by Klashwerks ($299) is touted as a complete connected car system that lets you see where you're going, where you've been, and how you got there.
It uses two cameras, LTE cellular technology, and your car's OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) port to let you monitor activity on the road ahead as well as inside your car, using your phone or a desktop PC.
Although the Raven brings some of the coolest car tech out there, you'll need a monthly subscription to take advantage of all it has to offer.
We got our hands on a pre-production unit and gave it a ride, and have some first impressions ahead of its release later this year.
Design and Features
Measuring 2.0 by 7.7 by 1.1 inches (HWD), the Raven looks like an upside-down rearview mirror.
The black enclosure is jam-packed with the latest technology, including GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE cellular radios, motion and air pressure sensors, a speaker, and a pair of noise cancelling microphones.
It's powered by a Qualcomm SnapDragon 650 CPU and boasts a full color display, although most of the information is shown in white to avoid distracting the driver.
The Raven houses two cameras: one is on the rear of the device facing the road, and the other is on the front, facing the car's cabin.
The road camera has a 140-degree field of view, and the cabin camera is slightly narrower in angle at 130 degrees.
Both record in 1080p.
The device attaches to your car dash using an adjustable mount with adhesive backing, or you can attach it upside on your windshield (the display will reorient itself).
It comes with an eight-foot data cable that plugs in to your car's OBD-II port, which is typically located on the driver's side, just below the steering wheel.
The LCD can be configured to show different status groups including Speed and Clock, Fuel and Speed, RPM (tachometer) and Coolant Temperature, or Altitude and Heading.
It'll also display navigation aids such as Next Turn and ETA when the Navigation feature is enabled.
One of the Raven's neatest features is that it can stream live video from both cameras to anyone you want to share it with.
Simply press the Share button in the app to send a link invitation via text or email, and the recipient will be able to see what's happening on the road and in the car's cabin in real-time.
Eventually you'll be able to have two-way audio communications with the car's occupants, but that's not yet enabled.
Another cool feature is Gestures: When you're driving and see something of interest, you can use a hand gesture to tell Raven to go back 20 seconds and put aside the next minute of video in a Short Clip.
Simply move your hand toward the device to begin the process.
You'll hear a beep and see a brief white flash that lets you know the camera is recording.
In addition to Short Clips the Raven also creates a Trip Card for each trip your car takes.
It contains time-lapse video, a journey map, all stops and starts, event-triggered video, and fuel usage data.
Other enabled features include alerts for aggressive acceleration, harsh braking, engine on/off, low battery, and turn-by-turn navigation with in-app maps and spoken directions.
There are lots of other features that have yet to be enabled but are on the way, including car health diagnostics, driver reports, speed limit notifications, geofencing support, traffic and accident alerts, and parked alerts that let you know what's going on when you're not in your car.
These include Loud Sound, Smashed Glass, Car Bumped, Car Moved, and Door Opened alerts.
You can access the Raven via an Android or iOS mobile app or a web-based console.
The web console lets you view live video and a navigation map, and you can share trips, but the mobile app offers more functionality, at least at the time of this writing.
The app opens to a Dashboard screen that contains a video window up top and a navigation map window below that display your most current navigation request.
In between is a thin panel that displays the name of your vehicle and a fuel level gauge.
It will also show any vehicle problems once the car diagnostics feature, which scans your car's onboard computer for error codes, is enabled.
There's a small camera button in the bottom right corner of the video panel that lets you toggle between the front and cabin cameras.
There are two buttons on the map: one lets you share the current trip by sending a link via email or text message, and the other lets you find your current location on a map and create a navigation route using the search function or by using a long press to create a route on the fly.
At the bottom of each screen are buttons for the Dashboard, Driver Reports, which when available will present a report based on data such as driving speeds, distances, and amount of driving time.
The History button opens a calendar where you can view Trip Cards for a specific day, and the Media Manager button takes you to a screen with all available video clips and their date and time.
Tap any clip to download it to your phone (if you're using an iPhone you must be in the car with your phone connected to the Raven in order to download video).
The Settings button takes you to a screen where you can determine what is displayed on the Raven's LCD panel and set its brightness level, turn alerts on and off, and sign out of your account.
Klashwerks offers a free three-month trial subscription with each Raven that gives you access to all of its features, including an LTE connection with 24/7 access.
Once the trial is up you can subscribe to a Basic Plan ($8 per month) that gives you full access with up to 60 Live Check-Ins (live video streams).
A Video Streaming Plus Plan ($16 per month) gives you everything plus 150 Live Check-Ins, and a Live Streaming Power User Plan ($32 per month) gives you everything plus 400 Live Check-Ins and remote access to video stored in the cloud.
If you choose not to pay a monthly fee you'll still be able to use Raven as a dash cam with gesture-triggered recording and have it display speed, compass, fuel, and altitude readings, similar to the Hudly.
You'll also have access to the Media Manger in the app and have the ability to view historical driver reports and trip data.
Installation and Performance
To install the Raven I attached it to the mounting bracket and affixed it to the windshield of my Ford F-150 using the supplied adhesive.
I was able to tuck most of the power cable away and out of sight, but there were areas where it remained exposed (a thinner cable would be easier to hide).
I made sure Bluetooth was enabled and downloaded the Raven app.
I created an account and entered the activation code that was sent to my registered email address.
Then, following the in-app instructions, I connected the device to my car's OBD-II port and gave the vehicle a name.
The Raven was identified and registered within seconds, and I was ready to hit the road.
I tested the Raven over a period of several weeks and during that time the folks at Klashwerks were adding features via app updates.
As mentioned, several features were not yet available, but the Raven's active features worked well.
Hand gestures made it easy to capture video without having to take my eyes off the road, and they worked every time without fail, capturing the action prior to my gesture and recording the following minute of action.
The speedometer was spot-on accurate, and turn-by-turn directions worked pefectly.
Video quality from both cameras is relatively sharp, with good color representation.
I love the time-lapse feature as it makes it easy to find a specific point in time rather than having to view an entire road trip video.
The display actually consists of two side-by-side 1-inch square panels that are sharp and clear, even when viewed in direct sunlight.
However, some images, such as the Gesture recording timer, were a bit too small and difficult to read.
There appears to be room for larger 1.5-by-1.5-inch display panels, which would go a long way toward making certain text easier to read, or possibly a larger one-piece panel.
I did encounter a few issues in testing, but again, this was not a final production unit.
One such issue had to do with slightly noisy cooling fans that would kick in frequently and were occasionally accompanied by an Overheating alert on the Raven's display.
Restarting the device usually resolved this problem, but at one point during testing the unit stopped working altogether and wouldn't restart.
A Klashwerks spokesperson informed me that my Raven had become corrupted and a fix was pushed to the device.
Additionally, the adhesive that holds the Raven's mount to the windshield is weak and gave way after a couple of days in the sun.
I had to constantly press the mount back on the windshield, but it would come loose again after an hour or so.
And finally, I noticed that the Raven drew power from my truck's battery while plugged in to the OBD-II port, even when I wasn't using it.
According to Klashwerks, the battery draw is not significant and the device will automatically shut down if it senses that battery is getting below a certain voltage level, but in my testing it drew enough power to trigger a low-battery alert on my truck's Sync communications system, which in turn shuts down the Sync's audio playback when the engine is not running.
Conclusions
Whether you're interested in keeping tabs on how your teenager drives and where they have been, or if you just want to document your road trips with video and maps, the Raven has you covered.
This smart car device lets you use simple hand gestures to capture events on the road and will use the cabin camera to connect with family members and friends to let them know you're OK and to share your trip with them.
In our tests, recorded video appeared sharp and colorful, and time-lapse video made it easy to find segments of a road trip without having to view the entire clip.
Turn-by-turn navigation also worked quite well.
Because I was testing a pre-production unit, several features were not yet enabled and there were a few issues that need to be ironed out before the final release, but if our early impressions are any indication, the Raven looks to be one of the smarter car tech offerings we've seen in some time.
Cons
Uses battery power while the car is turned off.
iOS users must be in the car to download video clips.
Many features require paid subscription.
Overheating issue in testing.
Needs stronger adhesive.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Raven from Klashwerks lets you see what's going on in and around your car even when you're not in it, and offers live video communication, recorded trip data with video clips, turn-by-turn navigation, and aggressive driving alerts.
