bguidizi

So I picked up the IS 350 Fsport and was getting to know it while I peruse certain sections of the manuals. I have not read them front to back, lol.

I thought it was a bug but come to find out that certain navigation and phone features are not available when the vehicle is moving. The options are greyed out and unselectable. For example entering an address and web search are prohibited options while the car is moving. When the car stops, they become avalable.

Same thing for POI search, only edestination and category are available while moving.

While navigating if you choose to see the turn by turn for the route under options, only the first three of the next turns will display when moving.

The phone call history is available and favorite contacs are available but contacts are unavailable. I guess they think the voice recognition is good enough substitute. Geeze, they don' know some of my contacts names and their pronunciation. Hard enought for a human to get some of those correct let alone a nav system.

In the navigation manual under safety on p5 it says "For your safety, some functions may become inoperable when driving. Unavailable screen buttons are dimmed. Only when the vehicle is not moving, can the destination and route selection be done. (of course they don't list all the options unavailable while driving, at lease not in safety)

If you have someone in the car it is absurd that they can't work the nav system.

Is this standard on all Lexus navigation systems?

Is there an known override?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Yes this is standard on all Lexus's for years. Certain parts of Navi, Phone and Set-up are locked out while the vehicle is in motion. They want you to use the voice command "push to talk" button on your steering wheel to enter in addresses are call someone. The best way around this is an aftermarket by-pass unit which simulates the car is parked when really it is not. Beat Sonic USA makes a good unit (not sure if it's available for 14 IS's yet). Expect Beat Sonic or another brand to costs between $150-200

dsadsauser

Is this federally mandated or by the auto manufacturers? My BMW and Mercedes let me do everything except watch motion videos while driving- input addresses manually and everything else are allowed. I believe Infiniti also doesn't let you input addresses also.

Weird.

PhoenixOne

Give the voice command a try. They improved it from the previous generations and my wife finds herself using it quite often. You can now say the complete address without waiting for the prompt to go through the typical "please say town, is this correct? please say street...is this correct? Did you say Crab Nebula? I'm sorry, I don't recognize that galaxy". And by the time you're finished it gives you the destination of a 7-11 that's 300 miles away, totally disregarding that there is one just 7 blocks away. LOL!

PhoenixOne

Our previous 2006/2009 ML350's allowed us to this as well. Now we have the 2013 ML350 and the screen to enter a destination is also grayed out.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

It's not federally mandated, but it's the Automakers. For years BMW, MBZ, Acura allowed for navi use while in motion. Recently last several years they have started implementing lockouts.

Reason is simple. We are a sue happy country.

To be quite honest I think its ridiculous but I understand why manufacturers implement it. To cover themselves from lawsuits.

Personally I believe it should be unlocked and allowed to be used while in motion. The only thing I would change is when selling a new car, the customer must sign a form that indicates the dealership/automotive brand is not liable for any accidents, injuries or death resulting from using the vehicle under the drivers own volition - simple, done, where do I sign?!

PhoenixOne

I agree. They could implement a way that you can enter a bypass code and digitally sign that you are aware of the dangers and waive liability. It may be a broad sense but they don't install speed governors to keep us from going 90, 100, 130 mph because it would be our own fault so why not let us sign off on being able to use, or at least a passenger being able to use the nav while in motion

Edit:
Now that think of it, maybe it's not a good idea. Looking 10 steps ahead, disabling said features could prevent potential lives lost, aka somebody fiddling with the nav while driving and ending result, killing another driver/pedestrian. Eh, I don't know. Double edged sword I guess.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

It is a double edged sword that gets even more pointy when you consider well what about passengers, couldn't they use the navi etc.. A driver should know their limits and honestly they should spend time with dealership Tech and Delivery specialists or a few hours in their driveway to understand their vehicle better. Vehicles are only getting more complicated. Food for thought I guess

PhoenixOne

You're telling me. My WWII veteran neighbor's '87 cutlass died and he brought himself a '09 Lexus RX and the poor guy was so overwhelmed he thought it was a space ship and thought if he pressed the wrong button, he was gonna end up on the moon. LOL.

bguidizi

Interesting suggestion. Let me make sure I understand how this functions. This aftermarket add on simply simulates non motion for the purposes of entering navigation commands when you are moving? So the nav screen still updates with your position? That would be worth it.

When we first encounted this my wife was trying to use the POI search and was like what is wrong with you new car?? Uh I don't know dear, um must be operator error would be my guess... lol

eyeball

Destination Assist has been a godsend for me when on the move!

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Yes it lets you use use all the functions of a car in park. I have a unit called Prostegeous Society that allows me to type in what I need while in motion. The Beat Sonic I mentioned though is half the price and they are a vendor on our forums.

Lol yeah I hate to see that disappointed look on some of my guests features when I tell them about the lockout.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

It's nice to have a concierge service. Also nice about the 3IS is the ability to say the full address without the STATE CITY STREET NUMBER prompts

albino1

In the Audi I had before my IS it would prompt and ask if you we're sure or if you were a passenger and then just let you do whatever you want.

In my old GS before the Audi there was an override combo button, but you had to do it every time you started the car.

madfast

cant they just use the airbag sensor to tell if someone is sitting in the passenegr seat?

anyways, the future will probably be a tablet that comes out of the dash somewhere between the glovebox and airbag...