Is the Advanced Technology (AT) package worth it?

I finally had a chance to use LKA on a good, long drive. I now think it could be useful on long drives. I speculated somewhere that I may have been overreacting to the steering inputs from the LKA during my prior brief experiments with it. I now think that was the case. If I just let it do its thing, with just a slight steadying input (to avoid bouncing from line to line), it worked just fine and as others have said, would probably lead to less fatigue on longer trips. I also confirmed today that the really heavy steering assist only comes on if the cruise control is on. So, all in all, another valid reason to get the AT package.

 

It could be just me, but I just don't get this. When I'm driving, I intend to stay alert, keep my car a safe distance from the car in front of me--and keep it in the lane I choose. I actually enjoy the driver interaction involved with driving.

So to allow an electronic nanny steer my car just doesn't makes sense. I honestly think I would find it more fatiguing to have to think if it's working properly, and having to apply "a slight steadying input (to avoid bouncing from line to line)" seems to go contrary to what it was intended to do, i.e., keep you in the lane if you inadvertently drifted.

But that's just me.

 

Don't we all BUT lately (as I get older) I find more and more often when I gawk at the scenery going by I have a slight tendency to steer toward where I am looking. Don't know why this is happening; thanks for comments from my wife - "DAVID" - I have yet to kill us. I just wish LKA was available as a stand alone option; it would be very handy for me.

 

It's not like you can just go to sleep using this system. It does force you to keep your hands on the wheel and pay attention, possibly more than if the system wasn't on. I'm still not wildly enthusiastic about using it a lot, but I can see where it might be helpful sometimes, and it might keep someone from falling asleep at the wheel.

 

Yes, I know. Was trying to simplify - didn't think it was relevant to the point. You ruined that!!

Zhe Wiz

 

I've answered questions similar to the one posted here, and I've provided a few emails and PMs to other folks on the topic. I'm going to include in this posting some of what I sent to another PriusChat member in a PM. If the day or date references seem odd, please ignore and/or forgive me.

I don't know how often I'll use the AT package over the course of the next several years. BUT, I can tell you I used the heck out of it the past few weeks.

It won't do to much for you if you just drive through town. The pre-collision part of it may be different, but if you are wondering about the value of the ACC, the LKA or the LDW, then consider a couple of examples I have from recent driving experience.

I spent one Thursday evening and night driving 441 miles. I then drove another 420 on the next day, Friday, followed by 430 more on Sunday. I used the ACC and LKA all the time. I didn't use cruise control often in my '07, because I knew I could get better mileage than the "machine" -- after all, I could see the hills and anticipate the need for acceleration or glide. So this means I normally don't even like cruise control, but the ACC is different. You set the speed you want, put on the lane keep assist, and then relax. Coming up on a car or truck too fast -- no problem. The car or truck starts accelerating again? No problem. It slows down again? No problem. Traffic is slowing down all over the place? No problem. Talk about a stress-free travel time. I just kept going through songs and Podcasts on my iPhone or looking for new and different channels on the XM radio. I even had the pre-collision system activate on me -- twice! -- all while running the ACC and LKA.

I was following a tractor-trailer rig as we approached a construction zone. The truck slowed down, and so did I. No problem. We had a merge coming up, but there were no other vehicles merging, so we kept a decent pace. Out of nowhere, a car zooms in ahead of the truck. The truck almost nails this idiot, and in the process locks up his brakes. We're now in a one-lane construction zone with nowhere to go. By the time I saw the smoke billowing from his brakes and tires, the car already had pre-tensioned the seat belts. As things got a bit nastier, and I decided I needed to brake, the seat belt pulled me back into the seat. I reached for the brakes, but I couldn't even keep up with the brake pedal as it descended: the car already had started heavy braking. It was pretty intense! I was paying attention the whole time. The amazing thing was that the car sensed and reacted faster than I could. There was no accident, and I just kept on going. In fact, I hit "resume" and off I went.

That incident, and another, less dramatic one, really sold me on the AT package. I drive fairly often out to clients and back within a day, so I can put some miles on quickly. I also can be driving late at night. All of these things suggested to me that the AT might be a good safety feature. Perhaps it is something I won't need too often, but I've used it a lot in the few weeks I've had the car.

Again, if you don't do much over-the-road travel, and you don't have many late-night highway drives, it could be a bunch of expensive equipment you never use. Because you've asked, though, I thought I'd give you a bit of my recent experience.

Overall, I find the ACC to be a stress-saver. When combine with the LKA, it also becomes a basic safety AND comfort device. When the LDW and Pre-Collision systems are added, then it becomes a major safety gain. I am VERY glad I have it and wouldn't trade it for the solar roof. Still, I think it has value to me because of my regular use of the car for quick, sometimes long-distance business trips. The fact that I'm driving late at night after working long hours also adds value to the system. If you are only an occasional highway driver, and you don't do late-night multi-hour runs on interstate highways, you may be spending a lot of money on something that doesn't get frequent use.

I'll won't suggest the AT package is for everyone, but I also will not discount its value to anyone. If you can afford to buy it, and you don't mind the (minimal?) FE hit, I think it is a great package. BUT, it isn't for the feint of heart -- it comes with a big price tag.

 

Glad you're safe!

Interesting experience! To me, though, I think those nice AT features can actually pose more danger to the driver, as it gives more control to machines and leave the driver more relaxed and distracted. I guess it is very personal. I really like the regular cruise, but my wife, for instance, cannot leave with it. She does not feel safe using it as she claims lack of control and less attention to the road. When I described the nice features of the AT package to her, she went "absolutely no way I would use or like something like that"! As much as I would like to check out the AT package myself one day, I’m not sure if I would trust a machine to break appropriately when needed, or even worse, alert me on time when quick and strong breaking is needed (I would potentially be too distracted for a quick breaking response once the system beeps). One thing that I would really invest money on is blind spot detection, as that is by far my most common potential accident occurrence.

 

Thanks for the feedback a priori - very interesting!

One is left to wonder what would happen if someone were driving late at night with this technology enabled, and a deer was on the road ahead.

Might be the difference between a wrecked car and a safe drive...

 

I just wish Lane Keep Assist was standard on other people's cars!

 

IMHO, if you have the money and can afford the ATP, have all the time in the world to learn the technology that comes with it (in order to get the biggest bang for the buck), if the moon roof is an absolute must-have on your list (ATP is the only way you can get it) ..then I'd say...go for it!

Per me, I'm getting the Prius v Five without the ATP. Here's why - If I got the ATP (appx $37k out of the door), I'd be losing the trade-off over lesser fuel economy offered by other crossovers like 2012 CR-V and 2013 Mazda CX-5 (moon-roof / panaromic offered @ apprx $ 28K OTD). You buy a Prius (IMO) for 2 reason:
- Environment
- Fuel Cost Savings over the life of the vehicle

With the ATP, you never gain the cost savings advantage - which to me was the biggest buying decision apart from the space. My wife wanted the space and luxury interiors, I'm an environment lover and a die-hard cost saver. Prius v Five fit the bill for me. I'd be recovering the extra $3K (31K - 28K) in less than 4 years through fuel savings.

Hope this helps!

 

That's not a question anybody can answer for you. Some people have obviously decided that it was - they bought it. Others decided that it's not.
I actually decided to get a Two - because it is what I want. Others make other decisions. Heck, my best friend thinks I'm nuts for not keeping my pickup truck - that got 14 mpg. (Actually - I do miss it - a little)

 

I really like the radar cruise control, lane keep assist (LKA), and pre-colision systems in the Advanced Technology Package for the package V. I have read several posts about how LKA is a nuisance, but this is not my experieince. On long highway drives, LKA provides an objective reminder that I need to either pay more attention to driving or take a break. BTW; It takes longer to use the auto-parking feature than parallel parking the old-fashioned way. Other than impressing people when I first got the car, the auto-park feature has zero value for me.

 

I really wish my car had Dynamic Cruise Control and Accident Avoidance.

 

drcc alone made me choose the V over the solar IV, so yeah so worth it.

 

I absolutely love the drcc and lka.

 

From my experience I would say no it is not worth it. If I could have a "do over" I would be driving a model ll.


iPad ? HD

 

Slowly getting used to the new car.
DRCC - love it. Very nice and useful. I no longer have to constantly "mess" with the cruise (I use cruise in the city as much as possible to avoid photo radar tickets and, more importantly, so I can concentrate fully on the morons around me and not bother with the speedometer).
The "new cruise" - like it a lot, especially not loosing the setting after stopping. The only thing I had a problem with was the fact it will brake if you're going faster than the set speed. Now that I know I cancel cruise, slow to the new speed, and reset it.
Pre-collision system - turned it off accidentally when trying to set the TPMS system pressures. I'm leaving it off after reading of the sillyness it can do. Sudden braking for no apparent reason is dangerous and anything that will do that, even if only rarely, shouldn't be on -any- car!
Don't have LKA in Canada. At least not in 2012.
Don't have the parking system in Canada. At least not in 2012. I would have no use for it anyway. I know how to parallel park.
I'm told I have satellite radio. I've so far not even turned on the AM/FM radio. I drive, I DON'T listen to music. If I want to do that it's in the living room at home (yup, I'm old!).
GPS - I have used Garmin units a lot in previous cars. The Toyota system seems rather byzantine. Nice screen though (I have the 7").
"Second screen functions" - I really like the ability to use the GPS screen to set things. It's a steep learning curve, but it's very useful. Also, I can put the mileage screen on the GPS when the DRCC covers it up on the MID.
The part I like the most, however, is I still haven't explored or found all that's there. Every day is exciting, not knowing what I will discover next!

For that reason alone it's "worth it".

 

Great post! !. Everything you describe is exactly why I traded my Prius with a sunroof I dearly loved for a five with ATP.Everyone of the features are awesome. What technology it is.

 

Always a distracted driver ? ATP is for you.
Never a distracted driver ? ATP is for you.
Would use ATP as a crutch and become more distracted ? ATP is not for you.

I think I mostly fall in the 3rd group.