Attn Toyota 1-Add larger sun visors on pullout arms. 2-Power tailgate 3-Reverse beep outside,please

Re: #3 at least have another noise maker in back similar to the front. I'm not sure an annoying beep on the outside is the answer.

 

There is no evidence that anyone at Toyota reads any part of PriusChat. The US Marketing arm (who has zero input on future Toyotas) used to read and sometimes participate in PriusChat, but not in some time. Have fun thinking up ways the Prius can be better, but know that no one who can make a change is reading or even knows English.

 

I've thought alot about the backup beep and the reasoning behind it. Even though i had mine disabled before i took delivery I can understand the reasoning behind it. The prius "transmission" gear lever is unlike anything else. There is no mechanical linkage that lets you know by feel that you are in the right gear. Its like typing on your iphone vs a computer keyboard, easier to make mistakes for the lack of physical feedback on the iphone and the prius gear lever.
Sure, 90% of people can figure it out within a couple of drives and it becomes second nature. But the 10% out there who have a hard time with it could make a mistake, put it in the wrong gear, drive through the wall of their house, and sue Toyota for not having adequate warning on the car as to what gear they are in.
And as for having a backup beep on the outside, can you imagine if all cars had that feature? Noise pollution would be horrible. Nevermind the fact the noise would become so commonplace that people would ignore it after awhile( car alarms for example), defeating its purpose.

I hate to admit it but there was one occasion in my year of prius ownership where i came very close to backing into someone because of being in the wrong gear! I was in the middle of a busy intersection trying to turn left, the light changed, I couldn't go left but i was blocking the intersection so i backed up a bit to clear the intersection. I decided to just go straight through when the light turned green again, very stressful situation and in the midst of it i didn't realize while waiting for the light to turn i was still in reverse. light turned green and i accelerated, in reverse! luckily i stopped in time with a couple inches of space to spare between the guy behind me.
I'm certain if i had the reverse beep enabled at the time this would not have happened. I learned my lesson and am much more careful now. Then again perhaps this could've happened just as easily in any other car with a normal automatic transmission. my last 2 cars were manual transmissions so i can't say for sure.

 

great idea I second your sugesstion

 

i can't believe toyota hasn't implemented these changes! what are they thinking?

 

I have kept my annoying back up beep and it has saved my butt a few times. My fun car is a 5-speed manual Honda Fit, so when I am done using it and hop into the Prius, I automatically put the car into "1st gear" to move forward. Bad idea.

 

It does seem a shame that Toyota America has apparently given up on following PriusChat, especially, given the ready marketing information and feedback, such as these three great suggestions. Maybe members who have some inside or closer connection with Toyota America could let them know they need to rein intimate following and then stand-up and forward ideas like this to Corporate engineers and leadership. Alas, it'll probably stay the same.

 

It would also help if my auto speller would stop changing reinitiate to rein intimate.

 

we're followed by the prius team at toyota marketing. i'm sure we have some effect, but you can't expect every whacko idea posted here to be implemented.

 

True, but these three suggestions are good ones, at least in my humble opinion.

 

Agreed! For those that have benefited the internal only reverse beeper, remember an external beeper will be heard inside as well, so both problems are solved.

 

Maybe you could open the window if you want the reverse beep heard.

I don't want a Lexus price on a Prius so I'm willing to accept some compromises.

I'd wish for navigation that actually gave me a warning before I needed to turn instead of the dreaded "recalculating route" after you have passed the street. I consider the late or no warning downright dangerous.

 

therein lies the problem.

 

The only one that might add any "real" cost would be the auto rear lift. The navigation short comings are/were known, so that was a choice you made.

 

i have to think extendable visors add cost. we have them on the hycam and they come in pretty handy. i doubt toyota or any manufacturer decides not to use a good idea on certain models if there's no cost involved. although, they might just be throwing incentives as price moves up. as for the backup beep, it's hard to believe no one at toyota has heard it.

 

At the manufacturing level, the visors are "very low cost" as is external reverse warning, mandated on some commercial vehicles.

 

so you're saying they must be another reason why all good ideas are not present on all models, and why bad ideas persist?

 

Don't pull a Sage on me now. What I am saying is they are good ideas and 2 of the 3 are low cost additions...in response to the Lexus comment.

 

i'm not disagreeing, i think every manufacturer has many reasons that we are not privy to. but to think that one of them is because they don't pay attention to our 'good ideas' is beyond me.