Post-reveal thoughts

I would imagine the picture link points to a particular node in Google's server farm, and it moves as they rebalance the load or a server goes down or is rebooted. Google are known to operate cheap hardware with no redundant components in the box, treating the whole server as a redundant component, spreading data out to multiple nodes so there's always a copy somewhere. See Google File System.

The replicator doesn't seem to keep backup copies, so any software bugs that cause data to be corrupted in one place are likely to replicate the corrupted data everywhere; if you store any data with Google, keep your own backups.

 

There is that, but my guess is that the real reason is cost reduction. The current mechanism is expensive.

 

I don't see where the 2010 mechanism is much different, only the location.

Tom

 

The new shifter is identical to the old shifter - it's just in a different place. At least, as far as I can determine from the pictures posted. The diagram on the shifter is the same, the one on the dash is the same.



Why discard a working system?

If looking for a reason why it was moved, it could be familiarity for new Prius owners, but it could also be that there were reports that people accidentally knocked it into B mode when reaching for radio controls.

 

This question was beaten to death when the Gen II first came out, but I'd be curious to know Toyota's rationale for moving the joystick forward to go in reverse, and backwards to go forward.

 

It's a standard shifter pattern, used for many, many years. It dates back to mechanical gear boxes, where it was easier to arrange the gears in this fashion.

It's like the QWERTY keyboard. It no longer makes sense, but people are used to it.

Tom

 

My Fords had shift left-and-forward from neutral to get first, right-and-down to get reverse.

1 3 5
| | |
+-+-+
| | |
2 4 R

I've seen reverse in other positions - to the left of first, top right (particularly in 4- and 6-speed cars), needing to lift a catch to shift into reverse. Still, gear 1 has always been top-left in any car (or minibus) I've driven.

Took a little while to get used to the Prius being the other way round. Even the reverse beeper (which I don't think you can turn off in the UK, though I've not tried) didn't help! The right-hand drive version of the shifter is mirrored compared to the LHD - you pull the lever towards you, with the left hand, then up or down as required.

I learned to drive in a 5-speed manual Ford Fiesta, my parents owned a Ford Orion (Escort 4-door sedan), then bought a Ford Escort Estate, and my own first car was a Ford Focus. The Fords all seemed to have poor synchromesh on the reverse gear, a double de-clutch was often necessary.

Coming from a manual car, creep is very weird, and manoeuvring at low speed by braking against creep is tricky. I have to parallel-park every night as the houses on my road have no garages. However, I don't miss gear changes, operating the clutch when stopping, slipping the clutch when setting off, or not quite timing it right when changing gear and not quite getting into the next gear before bringing the clutch up (results in no power or nasty crunching noises).

 

The joystick is so far outside the box anyway, seems like they would think outside the box for the shift pattern, taking into account what was intuitive to people.

Also, there's so much room on the bridge console, I wonder if they considered adding indicator lights near the joystick, to indicate the current mode. My wife was somehow always putting my 04 in neutral without realizing it.

 

It will take you ZERO time to adjust. There is NO PLACE to put a key. The fob will be in your purse or pocket. Just put your foot on the brake pedal, as you do now and press the Power button. That was the easiest 'conversion' between 'the old way' and the 'good new way'. And should you ever have a cast on your right arm, you will REALLY appreciate the lack of need to turn a key to start your car.

 

Identical except that it appears to be about 3 or 4 times the size of the current one. They could have solved the 'knock into B' "problem" (if it exists as a common issue, I've never done it) by just shortening the existing shifter. It is MORE in the way of the climate control buttons on the 2010 than it ever was in the way of the radio controls on the 2004-2009. Given there is no reason to grip it to shift, it is way bigger than necessary. I'm sure it is that size for the "like a regular manual transmission car with the stick on the floor" reason.

The shifter on the 2001-2003 IS in the way, it is just left of the MFD and when in D, blocks the buttons somewhat. Changing from a straight line shifter farther from the steering wheel to the 'joystick' shifter next to the wheel was a big improvement.

 

That info is on the display at the windshield/dash line. Much better place for it than having to look down on the arch to see what gear you are in.

I find it a wonder they didn't put the seat heater buttons on it. Instead they are under the arch in a location that is very difficult to reach while driving. Even if the arch WASN'T there, I don't think I'd want people reaching down near the floor under the dash to hit the switch while they are driving. I'm sure moving it to the arch will be an early 'mod' for those that don't mind messing with their new cars.

 

Makes sense. How hard can it be to run a longer wire up to the arch and plant the buttons there?

 

This comment indicates that you are way too young to appreciate the pattern of the Prius shifter. Back when that pattern was developed the only common automotive transmissions had three forward gears and reverse, whether they were "three on the tree" or a floor shifter. Sports cars of that era had "four on the floor".

I don't think I ever had a car with syncromesh reverse. Most of my manual transmissions didn't even have a syncromesh first gear.

The three speed shifter had this pattern:

R 2
|-----|
1 3

This pattern is also common in industrial equipment.

Tom