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Toyota Explains, Demonstrates Noisemaker coming standard in all 2012 Prius models

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Danny, Sep 22, 2011.

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  1. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Remember about a year ago when we picked on the Japanese market for introducing an optional artificial noisemaker accessory for the Prius? Well, now the joke's on us, my fellow Americans. All 2012 models of the Prius Family will come standard with a required noisemaker, er, "vehicle proximity notification system". On video it sounds like a spaceship, just like the one in the previous video from Japan. In person it sounds much more muted and actually sounds like a louder version of the Prius inverter. You can't even hear the sound from inside the car when you have the windows up, actually. Toyota's notification system (noisemaker) activates at speeds below 15 mph, and uses a combination of high and low pitched tones to make it unique from other ambient sounds. That way you won't run over the guy playing on his cell phone walking with his Starbucks (see the video below). The tones also rise and fall in pitch with the vehicle speed to give pedestrians an idea of whether the Prius coming to hunt them down and kill them toward them is accelerating or decelerating. Any bets on how long it takes 2012 Prius owners to find and cut the wire running to this speaker? Better yet, are there any entrepreneurial Prius owners out there who want to hack into the system to play your own sounds? I'd like a galloping horse, myself.

     
    #1 Danny, Sep 22, 2011
    3 people like this.
  2. StuffOnARock

    StuffOnARock Member

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    That's a lot less annoying than what I feared. Thanks! :)
     
    #2 StuffOnARock, Sep 22, 2011
  3. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    And yet still annoying enough where it will take 0.6 seconds for the first post to appear on how to silence the thing, after someone techy enough receives their 2012.
     
    #3 DavidA, Sep 22, 2011
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  4. AKMARK

    AKMARK Junior Member

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    How forward thinking can you get? Most people are trying to mitigate the noise pollution in their lives, think noise cancelling headphones, but our lawmakers once again prove they can foresee the future in which we will be noise deprived and have mandated NOISE to help alleviate the stresses that will cause.
    Thank You Big Government!!:confused::confused::confused:
     
    #4 AKMARK, Sep 22, 2011
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  5. Troyroy

    Troyroy Member

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    Someone please tell me that this won't be on all the time. As when we go to a concert, parking on the roof of a 6 level parking garage.....bumper to bumper until out of the garage......it's going to make this noise all the time......I think not......I will cut the wires before living with this. !!

    Besides to me it sounds like a slipping fan belt.
     
    #5 Troyroy, Sep 22, 2011
  6. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Instead of that lame noise there should be a guy walking in front of the car, swinging a red lantern and calling, "ahoy, ahoy".
     
    #6 richard schumacher, Sep 22, 2011
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  7. StuffOnARock

    StuffOnARock Member

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    This could be a lot of fun once it gets hacked. Could you imagine a little switch you flip to make your car moo? :)

    And I'm sure it'll be easy to disable. I'm not worried about that. ;)
     
    #7 StuffOnARock, Sep 22, 2011
  8. Troyroy

    Troyroy Member

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    Or how about one of those loud mufflers that the kids have on their cars. That I probably could live with.
    :D
     
    #8 Troyroy, Sep 22, 2011
  9. StuffOnARock

    StuffOnARock Member

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    Hahaha, or make it sound like a blow-off valve. Vroom (psssh). I have a turbo in my Prius!
     
    #9 StuffOnARock, Sep 22, 2011
  10. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    Since PC members would never disable the noise generator, I think it is safe for Toyota to release the diagram indicating the wire that runs to the horn itself or a fuse location. :D
     
    #10 Sergiospl, Sep 22, 2011
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    cricketts.
     
    #11 bisco, Sep 22, 2011
  12. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    Spooky sound at night what if we get a dozen 2012 priii to drive slowly through a neighborhood eeeeeeeg.
     
    #12 oldasdust, Sep 22, 2011
  13. joe1347

    joe1347 Active Member

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    Yeah, but what is the liability if you turn it off and then hit someone?
     
    #13 joe1347, Sep 22, 2011
  14. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Having heard it, it is not bad and almost negligible to those who already have owned a Prius. We were all talking about how soon it would take the first post to appear with instructions on how to turn it off easiest. Now, should mine stop working and I had no idea it had stopped working, what a shame...
     
    #14 Paradox, Sep 22, 2011
  15. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I say screw 'em.

    Aside from Helen Keller, Stevie Wonder, Louis Braille, Alec Templeton, Andrea Bocelli, Brian McKeever, Ray Charles, Joseph Pulitzer, William Moon, Ronnie Milsap, John Milton, Annie Sullivan, and David Alexander Paterson what the Hell has the blind community ever given to us?
     
    #15 TonyPSchaefer, Sep 22, 2011
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  16. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    And let's not forget Blind Mellow Jelly.
     
    #16 El Dobro, Sep 22, 2011
  17. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    Found this: Ten Alternative Engine Sounds for Hybrid Cars - YouTube

    If I had to choose, the Jetson's car sound would be #1.

    And I can imagine this scenario.. "This Prius you have for sale here, now, is that one of those hybrids that make those annoying and silly fake noises? No, its a 2010 - that's two years before they made that mandatory. Oh, good, because I don't want one of those noise cars. Right, like I say, its a GenIII and before the noise law. Great, when can I see the car, drive it and talk about buying it?"
     
    #17 DavidA, Sep 22, 2011
  18. Maverick Hiker

    Maverick Hiker New Member

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    I do not want a noisemaker in my Prius. The noise in that video is not a pleasant sound and I don't want my car to be a joke among the neighbors with that sound coming from it.

    This should not be standard (IE Mandatory). I am disappointed in Toyota for doing this.
    My only option would be to find someone to disable it and then that might open me to some type of lawsuit if there were an accident?

    I may now buy a 2011 Prius instead of waiting for the 2012.
     
    #18 Maverick Hiker, Sep 22, 2011
  19. Feri

    Feri Active Member

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    Twenty years ago a fellow in my street blasted out a car alarm with a shotgun at 3:00 am.:D
     
    #19 Feri, Sep 22, 2011
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  20. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    We call those people "heros."
     
    #20 DavidA, Sep 22, 2011
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