Future Plug-in Telematics Features?

Since I am an information engineer and have a passion for sharing data of this nature, the topic is quite compeling!

Entune currently just scratches the surface, giving us a taste of the potential available.

Looking at the ECO Dashboard, I see the basics. It's handy have a summary like that. On the ECO History, you get a really nice layout that conveys your story of efficiency at a glance. More graphs could tell even more. There's mapping goodies that could be delivered too.

There isn't any additional detail, like gallon & kWh info. That would be great, especially with some downloadable option. Some owners (like me!) would take advantage of that empowerment opportunity, to share real-world experiences with others. For example, here's what I've been keeping track of manually on spreadsheet...







And this is what I highlighted as noteworthy on my 6-month anniversary:

Code:

9,316  Total Miles
 
  184  Days (6 months)
 
 85.1  Lifetime MPG
 
109.4  Total Gallons (measured at the pump)
 
879.9  Total kWh (including charging losses)
 
3,596  EV Miles (displayed amount)
 
5,713  HV Miles (displayed amount)
 
  794  Total kWh (displayed amount)
 
293.3  Recharges (based on capacity replenished)
 
 52.2  MPG (HV)
 
   24  kWh / 100 miles

 

yeah, how about something like voltstats but for all plug-in toyotas?

also, if USB is right, Toyota, can you please find another vendor? You know how Ford got hammered in the JD ratings for customer satisfaction due to issues with the MyTouch system? How many times do we need to get beaten over the head with microsoft products before someone realizes that maybe they shouldn't be used?

as far as ideas…i don't think there's much to add at this point.

 

What about a vehicle movement alarm?

There's one for boats:
Anchor Alarm for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Vehicle Finder is nice, but has to be manually asked.

 

oh ya.

 

It shouldn't cost more than $200.

Open Vehicle Management System.

www.openvehicles.com

I would also suggest supporting the data that various auto insurance providers use to provide discounts to low mileage drivers and "safe" drivers.

 

Remove the "grey out" feature for phone/nav when the car is in motion. Toyota is one of the few manufaturers that does this. And make it retroactive through a software update for Gen III prior models.

Thanks

 

• I would love the ability to create virtual gauges/dashboard using many sensors. Basically an Entune version of Torque. I want access to all data/sensors, including tire PSI.
• Would like to see the ability to automatically grab all performance/fuel economy data when the car is refueled, instead of having to rely on a 3rd party such as fuelly.
• 'Power User Mode': This would make the car be more sharing with event data, such as why the ICE kicked on, why 'EV-boost' is or isn't being used, etc.

Just a few I can think of right now.

 

Dear Erica,
As a 2012 Prius owner, I can say that the enTune "telematics" are horrible. The small handful of enTune apps pale in comparison to their smartphone equivalents.

So here is what I want: Wired audio and video with 1 Amp, high- power phone charging, using MHL, which is built in to most Android smartphones. The iPhone has a similar capability.

I drive about two hours a day and I use my iPhone extensively. Bluetooth fails about once a day, such that I need to go into the iPhone's menu, turn Bluetooth off, then turn it on again. This is inconvenient, unsafe, and unnecessary: There is a wire coming out of the phone! If the car could do with a wired connection what it does with Bluetooth, that would be great.

Next, I should be able to buy Toyota-approved, "car safe" apps for my Android or iPhone which appear on the screen. This way, I can run a GPS app with an up-to-date map, and I can run other car-safe apps such as those you offer with enTune.

You have a passenger seat sensor. If someone's in the passenger seat, please release all of the locks.

But, at any rate, I think there's a real problem here. Toyota does not have the resources to create apps that are on par with what I can buy today for 99 cents each. Consumers own smartphones. A vehicle that "just works" with smartphones is a better product than using Toyota-made GPS and other apps.

I know that these days, a lot of phone makers want to use wireless display technology, but what will work best, most safely and reliably, is to plug the phone in and use it with a cable, with the radio unit controlling it.

Lastly, note that if you plug a phone into the Prius today for enTune, the car only supplies 1/2 Amp of charging power, which is not enough to charge most smartphones. The phone can charge, but if you use it while its charging, the battery will actually deplete while you drive. You reach your destination with a nearly-dead battery, even though its been plugged in for an hour. You need a connection that supplies a full 1 Amp of power.

 

Love the car, but I do not have and will not get a smart phone. I have a dumb phone (calls and text only). So entune is worthless to me. Have Entune for dumb phones. AND A SPARE TIRE. This is driving me crazy. I won't use the car for trips off of LI NY. because of no spare.

 

Since having a smart phone is only one aspects of telematics, it's not worthless. There's still lots of information exchange opportunities even without. Use a computer or tablet to access instead. The display in the vehicle itself could offer some features too. Heck, it could even pull updates wirelessly from Wi-Fi instead of cell.

As for not ever getting a "smart" phone, that will be as difficult as using a computer without "mulimedia" or trying to stick with film rather then getting a digital camera. You could, but that would become counter-productive and eventually end up costing more.

 

WHAT !!! I can't use my KODAK Film Camera anymore !!!

Oh, Yeah. They went from over 60,000 employees to just 6,000 with the last 3 CEOs, because they thought the digital camera was a passing fad, even though THEY invented the 1st digital camera in 1975.

 

then i bought a kodak digital, and a few years later, they stopped making the sim card.

 

I am willing to pay $10 for a Toyota EV PHEV app. I see no reason for not creating one. Overall, the results suggest that Apps are great marketing tools.
Think about the data Toyota could mine if it encouraged consumers to share data via a torque app.

 

Phone?

 

In terms of future telematic improvements on the PIP, may I suggest these essential and 'standard' items:
1) Please, please upgrade all screens to modern hi-resolution versions. I think a commodore64 had a better display than my PIP and I can't imagine showing any kind of mapping or information on such a poor resolution. I mean, how much more expensive can a decent screen be? Toyota has embarassingly dropped the ball in this matter. You only need to look at Ford and other competition to see what they have been able to provide.

2) Simplify UI (especially Entune apps). Too many levels and steps to do simple tasks. Diverging a bit from just telematics, I think PIP designers need to remove any false, misleading or confusing terms/jargon that is peculiar to the PIP. For example, EV mode is very misleading since everyone knows that ICE kicks in even when the car is in 'EV Mode'. Why confuse the driver when the industry considers 'EV' as pure electric? Just see the thousands of responses in this very forum to guage the level of confusion and frustration.The main point is if any of the car's informatics or UI confuses or irritates the driver, even the core telematics functions will be perceived in a negative light.

3) Improve voice based commands and responses. Needless to say, voice is probably the most useful input for car-based telematic functions. The PIP can only get better in this regard.

4) Car travel data extract (to smartphone/computer) via bluetooth. Would be cool to have an app that can get the latest and historic data from the car to analyze and visualize. No, I don't think Entune does what I'm talking about. And this should be standard on the PIP.

Just some thoughts. Great idea to get input from this forum. Best of luck on the next gen PIP!

 

a SIM card is something you put into your phone if you're on AT&T or T-Mobile. an SD card is a memory card that you put into your camera…and you can buy it from any manufacturer, and they still make plenty of them. see, i.e. Amazon.com: Transcend 2 GB SD Flash Memory Card (TS2GSDC): Electronics or Transcend TS16GSDHC10 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card

Prius Team: here, I have this crazy idea. You know how the original iPhone came to be? How AT&T signed an agreement with Apple to have a device that no one had ever seen and that was going to have virtually no AT&T branding on it? Here's what you do. You go to Apple, you tell them, we want you to design our next-generation telematics system, and our only requirement is that it can be installed in the dash of our vehicles. We're willing to pay whatever it costs. GO.

You'll be surprised. People will flock to Toyota vehicles for the telematics system in much the same way that AT&T was slammed with customers when the iPhone came out. I have no interest in starting an Android vs. iOS war here. I'm just stating facts and throwing out an idea.

But I realize this is difficult and unbelievably risky, especially for a somewhat conservative and risk-averse company. So, instead, you could take the suggestions in this thread. But I can guarantee you that nothing that Toyota produces in-house will be anywhere even remotely close to what would be the result of the "solution" I proposed above.

 

Apple already has some initiatives to do just that, which Toyota has some connection to, but someone at Toyota USA pooh poohed it. Big mistake.

 

thanks len. it turns out that they changed the sd card and the new one does not work in my camera. i was able to find the old style on amazon.

 

I do have and enjoy new state of the art computers, it is the phones that I don't need. A mobile phone is only used to call in a pizza on the way home, so you do not have to wait, oh maybe the police too in an accident. You say I can download entune on my computor? Now that sounds interesting.