I never use the parking assist feature. It too hard to use and fails most of the time. It's easier to just park the car yourself. I'd gladly trade this feature for a rain detection wiper system. Why a supposedly advanced car like this doesn't have it, I just don't know.
As the salesperson was telling me: "if you really need that feature you probably should not be driving to start with"! I tried it a few times for fun and it works beautifully when ALL the conditions are met! The problem is that 90% of the time one cannot meet those conditions! As soon as there is a bit of an incline, it does not work... It also take much longer than parking the car myself, so if there is anyone waiting behind, it's better not to even try it! When it works it really does park the car very nicely parallel to the curb and at the proper distance of other cars for parallel parking, and right in the middle between 2 cars for transversal parking, assuming the 2 other cars are properly parked (not always the case!). I was hoping it would help me park the car in my 3 car garage. There are parking lines painted on the floor so it's easy for the camera to pick the spot. But there is an incline in the back-lane, so it does not work. If I go the other way around in the back-lane (so the incline helps instead of needing more accelerator) then the back lane width is just too short about 1/2 foot in to put the car in the proper position (there is a bit more space the other way around due to my neighbour across the lane car port). It's just not going to work! Besides trying it a few times for fun, I don't see myself ever using it again. The rain detect system would be nice!
I own a Prius V with the AT and I have to admit I'd rather have the rain sensing wipers AND HUD rather than the Parking Assist. I live in NYC and while it does work it just takes too much time to use it on the busy streets of Brooklyn etc.
Did you learn how to properly position the car? As far as I know, the handful of times I tried using it, it has worked well. A few times it has parked too close to one of the vehicles (reverse park) but that's partially my fault for not adjusting the box properly. Naturally, if you're a good parking, you're gonna be faster than the system. I'd rather have the HUD than rain-sensing wipers. I don't know anyone who has it that likes it. Speed-sensitive wipers would be nice though esp. in the rainy west coast.
Aussie ITech has auto wipers, headlights and park assist. Had my car since Wednesday and still hasn't rained here yet. Also only back and forwards to work so have not parked in any car parks except for work where I drive straight in. Wait a minute, looking out the window and it is raining a little. Might clear the appointments calender and drive home via the shopping centre and then I will be able to tell you how good the features are. The thing I really want at the moment is the front parking sensors I ordered to go with the rear ones. Have to wait until the first service for them to fit them if they are in stock by then. Otherwise would not have picked up the car for another month. David
Home now, and I would have to say those automatic wipers are pretty good. My wife has a Citroen with auto wipers but I think the Prius ones are a little more sensitive plus they seem to also be speed sensitive. With the Citroen if you leave the wiper stalk in position for the automatic wipers they do not start up again the next time you start the car and you have to turn them off then on again. Anbody out there can tell me what the Prius does? David
No, just leave them on AUTO & they will always come on when it rains. As for the HUD, I can see how it can be considered gimmicky, but it is very useful in Australia for when you are making a call & the voice guideance cuts out. The HUD gives directions with distance, which I find very useful, as I am on the phone alot in the car (sales). So far I have found the Park Assist to be a little gimmicky & would have preferred Lane Keep Assist & Lane Departure Warning, but I understand our lanes are generally too narrow for it to be effective?? As for Front Parking Sensors, I have them as well - you could technically leave them switched on all the time (although they often beep needlessly while driving!!) Pre-crash worked today!! Seatbelt pushed me into the seat when I slammed on the brakes!
Yes the brakes are a little sudden when the crash avoidance kicks in. I have so far got phone numbers into the phonebook but not much luck with reliable voice commands. Have set up about 15 numbers with voice tags but each time they take me to just one number. Cannot even find how to get voice commands for Nav working. Every screen I try tells me it is not available on that screen. I have found that a lot of the screens overseas owners cannot access when driving seem to be available on the move in the Oz car. Any thoughts. David
I didn't think voice commands for Nav were available with Aussie model. As for the phone & voice tags, its working fine for me. I'm not sure what is going wrong for you. Get them to give you instructions at your 1000km service. As for me, I cannot upload any phone numbers (let alone the whole phonebook) from 2 mobile phones that are both registered on the system. Need to speak to dealer about it, as Toyota head office & Nokia have been unhelpful.
I have had rainsensing wipers on other vehicles and have been very happy with them. The key is to make sure the glass over the sensor stays clean.
We had a similar conversation like this before. I still disagree, while yes, IPA doesnt seem like a useful feature without using it a lot, if you do get used to positioning the car, 99% of the time I use it and dont have to touch the adjustments on the screen. Its not that I cant park or choose not to, its convenient, fun to use, and amazes me every time I use it. The rain sensing wipers on the Lexus are very nice, but my BMW had them and they were just about useless. I would still prefer a HUD, or even better DRCC that goes down to 0 in stop and go traffic.
I think you must be right about Nav voice controls. I have also found I can choose a destination while driving anyway. I can transfer one contact at a time from my TyTn II phone but that is a limitation of the TyTn II. Takes so long it is quicker to enter them by hand. Somewhere on this forum I have seen a post about a menu that lets you control the microphone volume but cannot find it again. Any hints? David
See this thread (see htmlspnnr video): http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...34-bluetooth-phone-hard-hear-suggestions.html You can get to the hidden diagnostics screen with a finger dance or by switching headlight switch on/off 3 or 4 times while holding down info button.
Not hard but when it is a light, intermitent drizzle or trucks are about spraying water in all directions from their tyres having the car take care of triggering the wipers as required is a great feature. We had heavy rains on Saturday night (2 inches in 1 hour at one stage) and we were driving home from dinner with friends. The automatic wipers coped very well leaving me free to concentrate on other cars etc. I always switch the wipers off fully when I park as I do not want them to do even a single wipe the next time I start up as the screen will probably be dry and thats the way I scratched the screen on my last car. David
