Driving a computer for the first time. Tips?

It was quite an experience today, listening to a streaming podcast, that I had asked for by pressing a button on the steering wheel. I don't know exactly how it all works, but I'm glad it does.

 

Gen 2 to Gen 5 is a huge new game. Gen 3 plugin to Gen 4 Prime was a new game and I'm still learnin stuff, I wish I'd known 8 years ago.

Enjoy your new game as much as you can and if you want to learn how to switch without looking you're gonna have to practice. It can be done for some things, but none of them are easy in the beginning.

Touching the right buttons and sometimes even finding the right buttons (buttons you don't use everyday ) can be elusive.

 

I was happy to see that the Gen 5 Prius still has it's own standalone navigation system that doesn't require a cellphone. I do like using Google Maps, but if I shut off GPS tracking, I can still rely on the built-in system, which has its own GPS.

 

Since Google bought Waze, they have been adding the features of Waze to Google Maps. I used to run both Waze and Google Maps, but I no longer need Waze.

 

lol....yes going from 2005 to a 2025 will bring many "holy crap" moments!

You're gonna want to read that ginormous owner's manual front to back....seriously! When I plugged in my computer scanner in my 21 Prius I saw she has not one ECM (electronic control module) but 33!! WHAT? Also watch YouTube review videos. (Not the stupid ones where all they talk about is the looks but the ones that go through the features and things you need to know about the engine...The Car Care Nut is the best, imho.)

I remember when my wife replaced her 2008 Corolla with the 2017 Prius, I got a call at work and she was in the hot car and frantically trying to figure out how to turn on the A/C...she was used to the old-school dials! She's replaced that car with a 2024 Corolla Hybrid and it, also, has a few new features we both had to learn. (But I absolutely LOVE the automatic parking brake and I love how it still has the safety sense stuff but doesn't beep nearly as much as the Prius when parking in the garage.)

 

The Car Nut seems a credible source, because you can see he does his homework.

 

Yeah, good luck answering a call while negotiating a curve.

Being able to adjust stuff, vital stuff, without nearly driving off the road, used to be easy, say in the 70’s, 80’s, of the previous century.

As an example: Heat/Vent control adjustments were done with dials and sliders, easy to find and adjust without taking eyes off the road.

Now, we’ve “progressed”.

 

I think the idea behind steering wheel controls is to keep you from being distracted on curves and such.
Fortunately, not too many curves around here. Roads are nice and straight, the way they should be.

 

Exactly. Give it time and the things that matter to you won't require you to look down, scan everything, watch your finger press the button, then look for a result.

I'd encourage people not to answer or conduct cell phone conversations while driving. Typically they aren't that important. If the call is very important, you've no business driving while dealing with it.

That's one way to tackle it. Perhaps an inferior method, but the one I used, is to sit in the car with it "on" and just scroll throw the menu and the options under each menu. Maybe have the manual in hand while you do that.

When you are done, go back inside the house to cry. You don't want your neighbors to see that.

 

Now you know why it has Driving Assistant.

 

I remember having this experience first hand on my way home from a dealership in Clovis to SLO. I could not get the Climate control, cruise control, radio to work. At the Yokut gas stop got the climate control turned on, miles later I got the cruise control and then finally the radio. Went from an '09 Gen 2 Prius to a Gen 5 that day. Nearly a year later now and most of the car control is within my grip.

 

Wait until you get Car Play working right...she will read your texts to you and ask if you want to reply then do that for you. "Send it?" "Yes" "DONE"

 

That will never happen to me. Only thing I use on that monitor thing is Sirius radio.

 

I fear some day that I'll fall asleep behind the wheel, and the car will continue to drive itself until it disengages, and the car veers off the road.
Closed-eyes detection does not work properly at all. It's constantly detecting closed eyes when it shouldn't, and every test I've done by closing my eyes has failed to trigger it.

 

Nice and straight, the way they should be. How boring. I like 'em crooked and up/down. More fun driving..

 

I can't see Sirius lasting another 5 years.

 

I love my Sirius XM and don't think it's going away anytime soon. It has had a few declining years but, based on my interactions with them, they have excellent customer service.
They are bit like Xfinity....they CAN be expensive but if you give them a call, or chat online, the sales people are good at finding you deals and promotions.
I had my Tundra and Prius signed up because of a promo I signed up for. It was just $18 a month. But then they jacked it up to $43 (regular price) so I chatted and just said to remove the Tundra, I don't drive it as much as the Prius. But the guy looked and found yet another "promotion" so I kept it on there and the bill actually went down to $15. So I just keep an eye on it and will play their silly game when they jack it back up.