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How to Know ADAS Features are On

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by mr88cet, Feb 1, 2017.

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  1. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    One of the reasons I'm in line for a P.Prime is its active-safety features. There's one concern that I think I mostly understand, but not 100% sure in all regards: How to know that the active-safety features, for sure, have not unknowingly somehow gotten turned off?

    I don't want to drive thousands of miles, correctly driving under the assumption that those safety systems are not there, and then, when that once-in-10000-mile event happens, find out that indeed they aren't there! That is, unbeknownst to me, the safety system I needed in that incident somehow got turned off.

    I gather that there are indicator lights, to the right of the MFD, for most of them, correct? Do any of the active-safety systems not have an indicator light in the dash?

    Am I understanding correctly that the automatic emergency braking feature cannot be turned off? Others?

    Some active-safety features always get turned on with every power cycle, as I recall, true? Which?

    Admittedly I'm a little concerned about two features, because they have "convenient" (i.e., too easy to accidentally hit?) buttons to turn them off: Lane-departure warning and anti-lock braking. LDW has an indicator light (true?), but I'm not sure about anti-lock braking...
     
    #1 mr88cet, Feb 1, 2017
  2. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    My suggestion is don't trust a lot to safety features....
    You should be judge of your life and safety.....
     
    #2 Samprocat, Feb 1, 2017
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  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Do you have a "PCS" light on the upper right of the dash (watch when the light test happens when you put the car in "ready")? The GIII has a button on the bottom of the dash to turn it on and off. When off the "PCS" light is on (yellow). I don't think you can turn off VSC, but you -can- test it on a slippery corner, when clear of all other cars, and you have lots of room to drift. Just goose the accelerator in the corner. ;) If it beeps and controls the accelerator and brakes it's on.
    There are probably other warning lights. Check the owners manual.
     
    #3 David Beale, Feb 1, 2017
  4. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    I absolutely agree, and already pointed out that I intend to drive under the assumption that they are not there.

    My theory is that the purpose of these systems is to turn (loosely speaking) a 1-in-20-thousand-mile close-call into once-in-20-million-mile, and I absolutely welcome them for that purpose.
     
    #4 mr88cet, Feb 1, 2017
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  5. ttait

    ttait Active Member

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    Anti-lock brakes can never be turned off. There are indicator lights for most of the others. A small confusion is that some of the indicator lights are where you mentioned, and some, like VSC, are indicator lights on the buttons to the left of the steering column. I would think that the safety sense features default to 'ON', because, well, Toyota.
     
    #5 ttait, Feb 1, 2017
  6. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    Yes, LDA has an indicator on the dashboard, as well as the confirmation screen on MID
     
    #6 Optimus PRIME, Feb 1, 2017
  7. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    My P.Prime has not arrived yet, and I'm currently in a 2009 (Gen-2) Touring. But, along the lines of thinking ahead, comparing notes, and perhaps raising awareness...

    I found the owners manual, and here's my best-I-can-tell breakdown, so far:
    • PCS (pre-collision system): dashboard warning light when disabled. Not yet sure whether it resets to "on" each power cycle. Probably need to use MID menus to disable, and if so, not easily accidentally turned off.
    • Traction control: Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see an indicator light for it being enabled vs. disabled. Button to turn it off (potentially very easy to accidentally turn off).
    • Radar vs. ordinary cruise control: Separate indicators for each. Have to depress the cruise-on button for a couple seconds to turn off the radar (i.e., probably not easy to do accidentally). (Also speed "SET" dashboard indicator.)
    • LDA (lane-departure alert): dashboard indicator for enabled. Not sure whether there's an indicator for LDA steering assist being on or not. Steering-wheel LDA-enable/disable button, so probably very easy to accidentally turn off.
    • BSM (blind-spot monitoring): dashboard indicator when on. Must use MID menus to turn off, so not easy to accidentally do so. Not yet sure whether it turns on with power cycle.
    • ICS (intelligent clearance sonar): dashboard light if turned off. Not sure whether it resets to "on" upon power cycle. Disabled through MID menu system, so probably not easy to accidentally turn off.
    • Rear cross-traffic alert: I believe ICS indications and on/off apply to this as well.
    • ABS (anti-lock braking system): dashboard light indicating system failure. Cannot be turned off (good!).
     
    #7 mr88cet, Feb 1, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
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  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    If VSC is turned off, PCS Brake Assist and PCS Braking functions will be disabled (but the warning will still function)


    In terms of power cycle:
    • LDA stays off if it was turned off previously (LDA comes with steering assist so no separate on/off button for steering assist. There is an icon when it operates and it's nudging you back)
    • ICS stays off if it was turned off previously*
    • Intuitive Parking Assist stays off if it was turned off previously (Toyota's marketing name for.... parking sensors. Not to be confused with ICS)
    • BSM/RCTA stay off if it was turned off previously
    But
    • PCS comes back on if it was off previously

    *ICS will operate even if it's off IF you're actively using IPA to park and it detects an object.


    Basically only PCS will stay on the next time you start the car (if you turned it off).
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, Feb 1, 2017
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  9. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    No light indicator on dash for Traction Control, but if you press the button to the left behind the steering wheel, it will display a message on the MID screen.
     
    #9 Optimus PRIME, Feb 1, 2017
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  10. White 17

    White 17 Junior Member

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    I checked it with a rubber trash can at fairly low speed. The trash can lived!
     
    #10 White 17, Feb 2, 2017
  11. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    Ooookkkk???
     
    #11 Optimus PRIME, Feb 2, 2017
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Looks like he tried out ICS.
     
    #12 Tideland Prius, Feb 2, 2017
  13. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    LOL I guess so
     
    #13 Optimus PRIME, Feb 2, 2017
  14. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    mr88cet I commend your premise, that while we shouldn't depend on what has now become a gaggle of safety features, they are there and shouldn't we know if they are all working?

    I notice that some features if turned off remain off the next time the car is started. This becomes a risk in the case of fat fingers, children poking buttons, or just simply not paying attention while in menus. Or maybe some features can get turned off during service when the battery is disconnected. For some features maybe this is highly unlikely. But still I think the only way to be certain is to check if the feature is active. Along with what you are finding for yourself in the owners manual you seem to be getting some good information here.

    Probably the best action after this data gathering is to create a checklist, which you could run through on a schedule like maybe when you check tire pressures, etc. Or before going on a long trip. Just to make sure nothing got turned off accidentally since the last time you checked.
     
    #14 Since2002, Feb 2, 2017
  15. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    Sounds like we can compile a list on google docs and keep it here as a reference for all
     
    #15 Optimus PRIME, Feb 2, 2017
  16. Daniel L

    Daniel L Member

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    Just to add on to this: Traction control and VSC work together and are deactivated by the same button

    Traction control will reduce power and/or brake the front drive wheels when it detects slipping on acceleration. You can disable it by pressing the "sliding car" off button, usually to try and move the car when it's stuck somewhere.

    VSC will brake individual wheels when the car is understeering or oversteering to bring it back in line and prevent loss of control of the vehicle. You can turn it off by pressing and holding the same button to turn off traction control. I'm not sure why you'd want it off unless you wanted to intentionally slide the car. (Drivers are able to lap faster on the limits of adhesion without the safety systems slowing the car down)
     
    #16 Daniel L, Feb 2, 2017
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  17. Optimus PRIME

    Optimus PRIME Active Member

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    FYI ... just created this Google doc as a start. Feel free to jump in and make edits if you like.
     
    #17 Optimus PRIME, Feb 2, 2017
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Filled in the blanks.
     
    #18 Tideland Prius, Feb 2, 2017
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  19. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Good info! Thanks.
     
    #19 mr88cet, Feb 3, 2017
  20. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Aha! Making a spreadsheet was my next planned step. Thanks for beating me to it!
     
    #20 mr88cet, Feb 3, 2017
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