I know there's a thread out here accounting for cool stuff that I didn't expect, and I'm not a necessarily glum person, so I was taking something out to my 2008 Prius last night and as I walked up (with the fob in my pocket), the interior lights came on. I didn't unlock it, just came into the proximity of the sensor. I didn't notice that before. Kew-uhl.
Yeah, Prisapus does that for me also. It's his way of showing his anticipation of the upcoming drive. That and that he likes me. Or as I explained to my wife: "he not only recognizes me when I reach for the handle, he welcomes me as I approach." Sometimes, when with friends, I'll walk up and stroke the hood saying something like, "ready to go for a drive?" and the interior lights come on.
The Professor greets me with interior lights as well. Usually it's when I'm coming home from work and I ride my bike past his door on the way to the garage. Sometimes I think he's happy to see me, but sometimes when those lights come on I get the feeling he's been waiting impatiently for me and is upset that I've neglected him again.
I've had a ball with this, scared the hell out of one of my co-workers after work one night about midnite. I placed my hands on the roof by the driver's door and chanted " I love my Prius, I love my Prius, and the lights came on and the door unlocked and my co-worker jumped back with surprised look on his face and said Jesus C!!!!!!
This a standard feature of the SKS, smart key system. It functions automatically when the front dome light switch is set to the auto position and the car is locked.
In the evening, I can impress folks by saying "Lights" as I approach the car, and "Unlock door" as I stick my hand in the door latch.