Originally Posted by Outrage

I believe the hardware is capable of more advanced functionality. This is evidenced in the software implementation on the 2013 Lexus GS in Japan. The JDM GS includes the "Harmonious Driving Navigator", which is software which records fuel economy scores and uploads that information to a Toyota server for viewing online. It also includes more advanced navigation maps which feature the ability to display a bird's eye view. Finally, it is able to display moving guide lines when the backup camera is activated rather than static ones. This is almost certainly a function of the software since the steering angle is already monitored for other vehicle systems. I doubt Toyota is installing inferior hardware in the US-bound GS models rolling off the assembly line. I don't doubt it is installing inferior software, however.

The one reason I always tend to lean toward domestics when I'm car shopping is that I never feel like I'm getting shafted, feature-wise, with the products available in my market. It seems that, historically, exported Japanese products must always be inferior in some way to the ones sold in the Japanese market.