Driver assistance features, radar cruise, lane keep, etc.

I wonder if Toyota will offer software upgrades as the technology/thinking/testing improves? The hardware is there. Just like with a phone, it seems sensible that improvements can be installed via occasional and ongoing software updates during the life of the vehicle.

This is my first new vehicle since 2007, so I'm not sure what to expect. But the world has changed a lot in the past 10 years and will only continue to do so in the next. Especially as vehicles become more spatially aware, and GPS speeds improve.

Personally, I see room for improvement. The lane change doesn't seem to be sensitive enough. Ideally it would catch you and steer back as soon as one leaves one's lane - not after one is several feet over already. Also, the radar cruise control, although very helpful, needs to not leave such a large gap between vehicles even on the closest setting.

Perhaps Subaru's system is better. already, in these two regards? Again, I'm pretty sure a software update could improve it.

 

Yes, Subaru is better - that we know for sure, talking among all the people on this forum... but I wonder if for example Honda or Ford or Hyundai is better also?

 

Volvo was the first to bring these safety systems to consumer cars. Should include them in any comparisons.
They also get extra points for having DRLs named Thor's Hammer.

 

I have been in agreement with most posters that LDA is useless, more or less, though i have been feeling the little nudge ... but tonight on my way home, later than usual and far less traffic I did a little experiment, I was going ~ 45mph, 3 lanes going in the left lane and steered slightly to the right, let go of the steering wheel, car went onto the lane divider (could the the "nails" whatever they are called), and then corrected and went back into the lane, to the left, but never crossed the line to my right. Steering to the left was a little strong so i took control again, but it does work.
I cannot compare to PiP nor any other vehicle and when i get a chance I will try again, using the middle lane and maybe even do a video

 

Here is a link to a oem site. I wonder what vendor toyota bought their system from ?


Delphi Adaptive Cruise Control

 

I have a 2017 Prime Advanced and like it a lot except for one of the "advanced driving features" The lane keep assist doesn't... I have driven a number of other cars including Toyotas that have steering assist (as Toyota has dubbed the feature that keep you in the lane you are driving in) Just for reference there is L(ane) D(departure) A(ssist) which is only a warning buzzer, and then LDA with Steering Assist. The only problem is that the steering assist doesn't assist at all. If I drive in a lane and the car moves over to the lane markings the warning buzzer will beep so the system is seeing the lane markings, but the steering assist really doesn't do anything. You will drive across the lane markings into the next lane. There may be a minor movement of the steering wheel but it really doesn't correct your direction and keep you in the lane you are travelling in. In other cars with the same or similar features (even other Toyota models) your direction is corrected and you stay in the lane you are travelling in. The Toyota dealer and the Toyota Technical Service Rep (whomever that is) have told me that the Prius Prime has a different system than other Toyotas (by that I think they mean it doesn't work the way it is supposed to work) so you can't compare them. I am chasing Toyota to deal with this problem so far to no avail. By the way I have driven other cars with this feature and all of them do keep you in the travel lane as intended, why Prius doesn't is beyond my comprehension.

If you are planning to purchasing the Prime Advanced for its advanced driver assist features I would drive it on a road with lane markings and test it to see if you feel that the steering assist does anything at all before I would purchase it based on this feature. I purchased my Prius Prime Advanced specifically for the driver assist features and am most disappointed. This feature is supposed to keep you in your lane if you happen to be less attentive than you should be and prevent side swipe accidents, it doesn't do this consistently or even at all.

I will say that we get over 26 miles on a charge and the Prime Advanced in all other respects is an exceptional vehicle. Only missing Apple Car Play... But if safety is a prime concern on your Prime then the steering assist is a real problem!

 

I am interested in your post as I am having the same problem. I am planning to conduct a similar test tomorrow and will post the results. It amazes me that you have to really try to get the system to work rather than it being obvious that it is working as it is advertised and intended. Other vehicles that I have driven with similar systems work much better and do the job more effectively. I have posted my other comments here also. Toyota advertises this as a safety feature that automatically keeps you in lane the same as in other Toyota models i.e. Camry, Avalon, but when you complain about the functionality of the system they tell you this is a different system and you can't compare the Prime LDA with steering assist to other Toyota models, I wonder why they designed the other systems to work while the Prime LDA w/steering to be less functional and of questionable usefulness.

 

The LDA w/SA is a joke and sales people and Toyota corporate shouldn't even talk about this feature. It really doesn't work as advertised and sold by salespeople. If you are really a dealer you know this doesn't work as advertised.

 

Works exactly as advertised for me.

 

I agree. It doesn't work for me. Sad, but true in that other cars have this feature implemented much better.

 

Actually, it doesn't work as 'advertised'. It works according to the 'lawyer-ese' fine print exclusions in the manual. It is ADVERTISED to keep you from crossing the lane markers. It obviously does not do this as attested by many comments here.
I really like the feel of driving this car, but if I had given it a real, long distance test drive using this so called 'steering assist', I probably would have re-thought my decision. That's the problem with being an early adopter. I really like being able to get 1200 miles per tank. I really miss the true LKA that my previous Prius had.

 

This is how it works for me. I tested yet again, yesterday.

 

Have you checked the Prime's settings to be sure the steering assist is on, not off?

 

There are enough of us saying this that this ^^^^^^ shouldn't even be a question.
I brought mine into the dealer to complain about it 'not correcting'. The service manager confirmed that my settings were correct and said he would check with Toyota about why it wouldn't correct when he was on a test drive with me. When I later picked up the car, he showed me in the manual where it states 'sometimes you will not be able to feel the correction', or 'will not work in certain circumstances'. This is what Toyota told him to tell me. These are written in the notes in the manual in 'fine print'. I am one who has NEVER seen it work to get me back into the lane. I NEVER had this problem in my Gen 3.
Again, what it is ADVERTISED to do, for MANY people, it does not do. To me, this is the very definition of false advertising.

 

It absolutely works as advertised, every time for me. I suspect many people just don't know what it's supposed to do because of previous experiences with other systems. For example, did you know it likely won't do anything if you have your hands on the wheel?

●Steering control function
This function operates when all of the following conditions are met in addition to the operation conditions for the lane departure alert function.
• Setting for “ (LDA Steering Assist Mode)” in the screen of the multi-information display is set to “On”. (→P. 231)
• Vehicle is not accelerated or decelerated by a fixed amount or more.
• Steering wheel is not operated with a steering force level suitable for changing lanes.
• ABS, VSC, TRAC and PCS are not operating.
• TRAC or VSC is not turned off.

It takes very little steering wheel force to operate this vehicle to change lanes. If it detects you are operating the wheel, it won't correct. This is a GOOD THING in my opinion, as I don't want it messing with me when I'm controlling it. I felt it do that one time and I didn't like it. It's really there to keep you in your lane if you are nodding-off while the LDA and sway warnings try to wake you up. It's not a self-driving function.

 

I do not see the LDA as a joke as some posters have indicated. It alerts you when you depart your lane with an audible beep. The steering is very subtle. We should be talking about radar cruise. There are times I forget that I am driving the car with radar cruise. I think radar cruise will completely stop the car for you. Again there are things I will test and things I will not test unless Toyota gives me another Prius to test on. I don't want to wreck my Prius.

 

It is advertised as Lane Keep Assist with Steering Assist. If you drive a RAV4 or a Camry with the exact same feature, I know it is the same because Toyota names it the same in all models and advertises it the same in all models, the RAV4 and the Camry will stay in the lane as intended and advertised, the Prime does not. The Prime crosses into other lanes every time. How would crossing into the next lane prevent a side swiping accident? This is what the Steering Assist is intended to prevent side swiping a car in the next lane the Prime will cross into the next lane every time. My question is if it works correctly on the RAV4 and the Camry why can't Toyota get it to work on the Prime also?

 

It is on and my dealer drove it with me yesterday and said "This doesn't work like the other Toyota models, it doesn't really keep you in the lane."

 

Radar cruise works very well and it will stop you to prevent a collision. I was on an exit ramp and looked to the side as the car in front of me stopped suddenly, before I noticed my car had stopped to prevent me from rear ending the car in front of me. That piece of the claim really does work. The steering is so subtle it doesn't keep you in the lane