Technique

So there are so many small threads with people who are both for and against the numerous safety features in our IS's... I thought I'd start a new thread to consolidate...

The catalyst for this was I was riding shotgun in my car today and I realized that I could not program the memory seat while the car was in motion!!! Not only that, the car had to be in PARK for either the passenger or the driver to program the memory seats!

I think this is stupid, given that you can move and adjust the power seats while the car is moving, but you can't save the memory. Especially for the passenger. What good does this serve?

And of course, my major gripe is the navigation/ML system safety features:
1) No mp3 folder viewing while moving
2) No bluetooth dialing via the touchscreen while moving
3) No caller ID while moving
4) No DVD-Audio capabilities on the touchscreen while moving
5) No DVD-Video capabilities at all while moving
6) No navigation destination entry or destination search via the touchscreen while moving

The only one of the above 6 I support is #5. The rest are total BS... Luckily, we can cut a few wires and all is fixed, but I assume that eventually we will not be able to hack away these "safety" features...

I was recently riding in a hertz rental car with the navigation system. When I tried to enter a destination while the car was moving, I was surprised to see the following message pop up:

"Driver cannot enter destinations while the car is moving, feature disabled!"

But then, after I hit "OK", I got another message:

"If a passenger is in the car, press "YES" and the passenger will be able to enter destinations"

So of course, I hit "YES", and I was able to enter destinations just fine!

I think this is a great idea, and since our cars have sensors to detect if a passenger is in the car or not, the nav could verify if the driver is telling the truth when he selects "YES". Why doesn't Lexus implement this simple feature into their navigation so that when we have a passenger in the car the passenger can use the nav system!

Bichon

I agree completely. I think it is interesting to consider that Lexus DOES NOT impose the nannies outside of the North American market. What this says to me is that Lexus' primary concern is not about safety, it is about lawsuits.

mdchachi

I don't think that's true. In what markets do Lexus allow these features? I know for sure that vehicles in Japan have the same restrictions.

trio

hrm, I was riding in a friend's toyota in Japan. He was able to edit the NAV destinations while driving. So there seems to be at least some differences.

15951

Stop blaming Toyota for responding to the litigious nature of American society. It's not their fault that we sue ourselves into the ice age.

For local proof, all you have to do is follow any thread here regarding an accident. It doesn't take long before someone chimes in with "Get a lawyer, even if you aren't hurt."

pocky

iTrader: (12)

lol! So true...

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

I think Lexus did this so that if the driver for any reason accidentally hits a Memory button, the seat and side mirrors won't suddenly move into a position that is not optimal for the driver. It should be available for the passenger, but considering that may need further (and costly) programming and wiring, it was left as is.

As far as the Navigation controls, it is quite limited, but like what most people have stated above, we have to be wary of people that think that the system is "fool-proof." If cell phone use can affect how one can drive, a nav system that requires an iDrive or touch-screen manipulations will certainly affect driving attention.

People that get into accidents because of it will blame the Nav controls, not themselves (because it's easier that way)...

Technique

I do blame Toyota 100%!

Honda/Acura is a major Japanese auto manufacturer who sells cars with navigation systems in the USA and they don't disable any of the nav features. Have they been sued into the ice age? NO. They are doing just fine. It's an apples to apples comparison. Toyota has NO excuse!

Toyota/Lexus is 100% responsible for selling us nav systems that require hacking. I stand by this firmly.

pisaykotik

I totally agree on this. Coming from an Acura MDX, the crippled Lexus NAV is a definite in my book.

nehal51086

maybe there is a problem with the way ur numbers have been sored in the navi phonebook....because i have recently been able to get mine to display the name even when im in motion....the best way is to basicly have someone call u and see if there is a 1 infront of their number and then change the number in the phone book acordingly...it has to match exactly...

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

Toyota/Lexus does not compare to what Honda/Acura offers for the navi. having had both now i dont think that any system matches what they offer...and i agree 100% that they can allow these features. there cant be an legal issue if they are allowing honda/acura to mfg and deliver there cars this way!

ABC

I like the many airbags in the car and good safety ratings from gov. tests

socalJD

Well I have both the Acura & Lexus Navi, and yes the Acura Nav is less intrusive than Lexus. But Honda is not about to become the world's largest Auto mfr, they are a niche mfr and are quite happy where there are. Toyota is not content being #2 and will soon surpass GM as the #1 Auto mfr. That said, when you're #1, you have a big target on your back and greedy litigation-happy folks prey on the Big Kahuna with deep corporate pockets. If it ain't broke, don't fix it - so as long as Toyota continues to increase sales and reap profits, don't hold your breath on them changing their safety-nanny mentality on their production cars . . .

Gernby

iTrader: (1)

I think Lexus did us a favor by making it so easy to hack the system. It would have been so simple for them to use the GPS data itself to determine if the car is in motion, which would be MUCH harder to hack.

Magellan

Perhaps overconfident hackers like you are making things worse. Like 15951 said we live in a litigious society where Toyota feels they must protect themselves. If you weren’t so bent on circumnavigating their efforts perhaps they would back off a bit. As far as the passenger seat is concerned, you would be the first to place a weight there or cut some wires somewhere to hack the system. Then you would proudly post it around CL so everyone could do the same. So Toyota may be saying “Why bother?”

And as far as other manufacturers being sued or not, we simply have little information either way. Perhaps they get sued quite a bit and just suck it up and add it to the price of their cars. Toyota may not want to do that, and that’s OK with me. Let’s face it; with all due respect you’re part of the problem, not the solution here. Yes, you’re free to do so, but I wish you wouldn’t be so damn proud of it.

And while we’re on the subject, I am dismayed at the many threads on this forum that advocate other illegal and unsafe mods, including:

• Nav hacking (for which you’re a proud contributor)
• Turning off the seat belt buzzer
• Disconnecting DRL
• Illegal tinting
• Darkened tail lights
• DVD watching while moving
• Aftermarket rims that cannot use the TPMS

If it was up to me I’d delete all such posts. But I’m just an old man trying to drive safely without killing anyone.