Backup Camera Guidelines
06-14-15, 12:19 PM
#46
Pole Position
The ironic thing is that our 2015 Lexus ES300H does have the grid lines (this generation started in 2013 though). Why did Lexus choose to put it some cars but not others? The 2015 has a new generation Nav unit so they obviously apply some modest updates from time to time. I have to wonder why they have neglected this feature with the RX.
06-15-15, 09:03 AM
#48
Moderator
Firmware is not user accessible for modification or update (no source code is publicly available and the firmware is licensed) and Lexus has not added guidelines to the 3rd Gen RX camera firmware through the final 2015 MY. We can only hope the 4th Gen RX will contain guidelines like some other more recent Lexus models.
06-15-15, 11:42 AM
#49
Firmware is not user accessible for modification or update (no source code is publicly available and the firmware is licensed) and Lexus has not added guidelines to the 3rd Gen RX camera firmware through the final 2015 MY. We can only hope the 4th Gen RX will contain guidelines like some other more recent Lexus models.
08-26-15, 12:06 PM
#50
Here's what really kills me....
In the Owner's Manual they describe the Back-Up Camera that's in the rear-view mirror. Not sure if this is other markets or a stripped model...but it has the guidelines......
Also I have a 2014 Avalon that has the guidelines but the 2015 RX doesn't. Really find that disappointing.
In the Owner's Manual they describe the Back-Up Camera that's in the rear-view mirror. Not sure if this is other markets or a stripped model...but it has the guidelines......
Also I have a 2014 Avalon that has the guidelines but the 2015 RX doesn't. Really find that disappointing.
08-26-15, 06:25 PM
#54
Moderator
No US RX have ever had guidelines through 2015 RX/RXh. AFS (swiveling headlights) sadly disappeared with the 2013 RX/RXh -- I had them on my 2006 RX400h and lost them with my 2013 "upgrade". They were available in the top-of-the-line pkgs on the US 2010-2012s and disappeared without a trace when the 2013s hit US soil. Perhaps there is a way to adapt an out-of-country set of parts as rayaans suggest, if a US owner takes it upon themselves to accomplish the task and introduce challenges to that part of their US warranty in the process.
OTOH, Lexus must have it's reasoning as to why they introduced country variations that must have cost them money to implement. I bet it all has to do with legalaties and/or country certifications not being in place that we on this board will never understand the details for. In GB and Europe, as well as many other countries, there are differing laws and subtle tweaks have to be introduced by mfgrs so the same basic models can be sold everywhere -- lighting and reflectors being one of the most significant I've come to understand after having spent a couple years on one of the global MBZ SLK forums, finding different colors show up on some reflectors in different countries (e.g. amber vs white), different bulbs in some headlights, and some options just not being made available in some parts of the world when they are readily available in others -- e.g. I'm missing (as are other US owners) some intelligent lighting functionality on my fully-loaded US SLK thats outlined as standard in the manual, yet owners e.g. in the UK take the function for granted and have had it for years.
IMHO folks can keep expressing their concerns, dismay, etc. if Lexus should have guidelines or not on the 2015 3rd Gen, but the fact is, Lexus' track record has always been to only put any changes of what I'll call "substance" into the single mid-life update for a particular model generation -- for the 3rd Gen RX, that was the 2013s. Other MY tweaks IMHO have always been somewhat inconsequential in comparison until a new generation is introduced that changes the playing field more completely in design and capabilities. THAT, IMHO is a premise of the Lexus Brand I've come to understand after having owned 5 new Lexi over the past 20 years, and I personally have tried to take into account when I buy within the life of a particular generation so I'm not totally disappointed when the next MY comes out with a bunch of new gizmos or functionality beyond maybe a color change. Not dissing anyone with a 2015, but it's an awful lot like a 2013 as I always expected it would be, and the 2013's like I own are still based around the original 2010. If folks want more YTY tweaks in the vehicles they buy, I suggest next time they look at the German brands I've owned and where I've seen YTY model tweaks of a lot more substance than what Lexus would probably ever consider (e.g. a whole new color dash display and improved set of optional safety systems appeared on my first-off-the-line 2014 that were not even mentioned or hyped in the marketing literature as a benefit in the few new MY changes) -- but then again, with more constant change that other brands introduce each year, an owner will possibly assume the risk of what that does to reduced reliability and serviceability.
As I always seem to say, I'm just glad there are lots of brands and options for us to each choose what works best for our situation -- but we really each need to do our due diligence to ensure the features most important to us, and that may eat at us later, are exactly as we expect before we sign on the dotted line.
OTOH, Lexus must have it's reasoning as to why they introduced country variations that must have cost them money to implement. I bet it all has to do with legalaties and/or country certifications not being in place that we on this board will never understand the details for. In GB and Europe, as well as many other countries, there are differing laws and subtle tweaks have to be introduced by mfgrs so the same basic models can be sold everywhere -- lighting and reflectors being one of the most significant I've come to understand after having spent a couple years on one of the global MBZ SLK forums, finding different colors show up on some reflectors in different countries (e.g. amber vs white), different bulbs in some headlights, and some options just not being made available in some parts of the world when they are readily available in others -- e.g. I'm missing (as are other US owners) some intelligent lighting functionality on my fully-loaded US SLK thats outlined as standard in the manual, yet owners e.g. in the UK take the function for granted and have had it for years.
IMHO folks can keep expressing their concerns, dismay, etc. if Lexus should have guidelines or not on the 2015 3rd Gen, but the fact is, Lexus' track record has always been to only put any changes of what I'll call "substance" into the single mid-life update for a particular model generation -- for the 3rd Gen RX, that was the 2013s. Other MY tweaks IMHO have always been somewhat inconsequential in comparison until a new generation is introduced that changes the playing field more completely in design and capabilities. THAT, IMHO is a premise of the Lexus Brand I've come to understand after having owned 5 new Lexi over the past 20 years, and I personally have tried to take into account when I buy within the life of a particular generation so I'm not totally disappointed when the next MY comes out with a bunch of new gizmos or functionality beyond maybe a color change. Not dissing anyone with a 2015, but it's an awful lot like a 2013 as I always expected it would be, and the 2013's like I own are still based around the original 2010. If folks want more YTY tweaks in the vehicles they buy, I suggest next time they look at the German brands I've owned and where I've seen YTY model tweaks of a lot more substance than what Lexus would probably ever consider (e.g. a whole new color dash display and improved set of optional safety systems appeared on my first-off-the-line 2014 that were not even mentioned or hyped in the marketing literature as a benefit in the few new MY changes) -- but then again, with more constant change that other brands introduce each year, an owner will possibly assume the risk of what that does to reduced reliability and serviceability.
As I always seem to say, I'm just glad there are lots of brands and options for us to each choose what works best for our situation -- but we really each need to do our due diligence to ensure the features most important to us, and that may eat at us later, are exactly as we expect before we sign on the dotted line.
08-26-15, 06:45 PM
#55
Moderator
I simply believe that since Lexus didn't elect to put the guidelines on the 2013 RX refresh, when they already had the 2016 in design -- they didn't feel it would make that much difference to increase sales to implement something like guidelines in the 2014 or 2015 and then effectively throw away part of that work because of the new body and larger displays we will soon see in the 4th Gen... As an X-programmer from many years ago, I can only imagine the coding and testing those moving lines take -- tied to the specific vehicle itself and the camera being used. As owners, we'd like the function, but as a single feature, I doubt it really would have sold enough incremental RXs to pay for the work, and at least I wouldn't have paid any substantial increase in base RX cost for it either. (Sorry, my past P&L part of me is coming out. Time for a glass of wine!)
08-28-15, 08:23 PM
#56
Driver School Candidate
While we love our new to us '13 RX 350, guidelines are one of the features I was expecting and am missing. We've got them on our '13 LEAF and they really do come in handy.
John
John
