Blind spot monitor system - is it worth it?
 

Did you get it, is it worth it?

Yes (factory ordered a vehicle with it) and yes I think it is worth it.

Yes I have it on both of my vehicles. It's another helpful driving tool.

Should be standard equipment.

Don't forget the built-in Rear Cross Traffic Alert!
 

I never thought the blind spot monitor was going to be useful, but as it was already on the ES300h I bought, oh well, another gadget. Man, was I wrong.

Rear Cross Traffic Alert: Last week, backing out of a diagonal bank parking space in a strip mall, the monitor started BEEPING LOUDLY. Sure enough, a car I couldn't have seen (due to a giant SUV parked to my right) was tooling along in the lane I was about to back up into. Would have been my fault too. That was Save #1.

Blind Spot Monitoring: Yesterday, I was doing 45 on an in-town 4-lane parkway. I usually monitor all my mirrors every few seconds just so I know who and what is around me. I had seen nothing and started to change to the left lane; nothing showed in my left mirror but the light was not only on -- it was BLINKING -- and sure enough, there was an effing SMART CAR in my blind spot. That was Save #2.

I'm sold. I recommend it to EVERYONE...especially that Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which often goes unmentioned in both advertising and in forum postings.

Yes

The ES300h has one of the worst blind spots in a car I have driven. Even when you check your blind spot, the B pillar can easily hide a car.

Don't get the ES without the Blind Spot monitoring.

The rear cross traffic rocks. I was backing out, checked and nothing in sight. Kept backing out and the car starting beeping and I thought "what now" but my brain told me to hit the brake. And there was a car speeding in the parking lot. This is not the only save.

If you are looking at this car, I suggest you get the rear cross traffic option. It will also warn you if pedestrians are about to walk behind you.

Thanks for the feedback on the Rear Cross Traffic Alert... Look forward to having it available when pulling out of spots while sandwiched between two tank-sized SUVs.


also, worth noting that since it was introduced with the '13 ES, it is currently not available for the 2013 GS :p

Yes, the cost is relativley low and it is a great feature both for the blind spot and cross traffic. Actually I haven't seen a 2013 without it yet. I have driven cars with blind spot monitoring and was waiting for it on a Lexus. I have one on order and it was the first option I listed.

Dave Mac

The video is great...and describes the Alert much better than I could with words.

Thanks for all the great feedback, looks like it's worth the $500.

Judging from the feedback, it seems like something like this should really be federally mandated as a standard feature for all cars. Maybe like airbags, this will soon be standard equipment too. I know backup cameras have become standard equipment or will be soon? (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...n-by-u-s-.html)

I've been in situations on the other side, where I would be driving down a parking lot lane and drivers would be backing up abruptly and I would have to brake and swerve out of the way to avoid them.

Yes the Rear Cross Traffic Alert has already literally saved my rear once when starting to back out of a parking spot!

Just yesterday, my wife and i got in our Es around 8a.m. to run some errands, always very cautious backing out because of many elderly citizens around our unit; At this time of day, no one in sight right! Wife and i got in a brief conversation before i put car in reverse; Almost imm; RCTA began beeping and blinking, got out of car and sure enoughf there was an elderly lady who had just finished ghecking her mailbox, I NEVER SAW HER!
I have no dought I would have hit her, except for the car intervening!

My guess is that the blind spot monitor will be standard equipment on virtually every car within the next 10 years. It's that useful a feature...

The Cross-Traffic Alert is also extremely useful when backing out of a parking space. All too often you are parked next to an SUV or another big vehicle and you are backing out blindly. The Cross-Traffic Alert reduces the chance of an accident immensely.

Agree, a must have on all accounts.

BSM is one of the best technologies out there currently!