Wish-list for 2012-13 Prius

It doesn't mean that at ALL.

Many mfrs are simply using the rear view mirror to solve that problem.

Assuming sight lines out the rear and sides of the vehicle.

no no, I meant by putting a small display in the rear view mirror itself.

No need to bother with the expense of "the graphical display".

. . .

The NHTSA issued a rule, NHTSA-2010-0162, in December 2010 for rearview specifications of the area that must be covered behind the car. You can download this from

Sad to say, the installer of my 2003 backup camera didn't understand the goal so the camera is pointed at the horizon, not down at 15-30 degree angle needed to cover the area behind the car.

When I do my next 'car day,' I'll remove the trunk liner and remount the camera properly and possibly add a shield so it won't see the bright sky. The gain-control works great but a bright sky can drive near objects into darkness. When the camera is aimed correctly I will see the rear curb as it begins to be obscured by the bumper.

My 2003 Prius also has a backup LED light with beeper. Now I know pedestrians don't pay attention to the beep but that isn't the point. The idea is to give them the option, a audio as well as visual indication of my vehicle's intention.

One other thought is to put small, piezoelectric disks co-located with the front right and left turn signal lights. With the right voltage matching resistor, they'll make a click each time the light comes on and off.

But the ultimate safety system will be binocular, cameras that measure distance and speeds of objects to the front and a wide range left and right. The idea is to work on my own driver assistant. But I have another project that is taking my time.

Bob Wilson

What the rule does NOT say is that "Toyota must install the multifunction display back in every Prius in order to fulfill this rule".

On this car.

A performance standard, the regulation specifies minimum visibility of seven, child-size, cylinders located in a specific pattern relative to the center line and rear bumper. Two cylinders are offset ~5 feet either side of the center line about a foot behind the rear bumper. The other five must be fully visible about 10 feet and 20 feet to the rear. A performance standard, it does not specify a solution. However, they looked at several, off-the-self solutions and tested their performance including references to the standard.

Bob Wilson

It still doesn't mean that they have to put the MFD into every model now.

They can EASILY solve this another way. Many are putting the small display where the current fuel economy display is, and Toyota will likely just tie the camera into that when the car's in reverse.

Your "this means MFD comes back on all models" is wishful thinking.

It means Toyota has to provide a backup camera and display which Toyota has already designed and is an option in the existing Prius.

Not so easily as our ZVW30 rear view mirror is glued to the windshield and has no power connections.

Many others manufactures have no option because they have models that never had a designed and implemented backup camera system. But Toyota also has an accident avoidance system and the photos show it has a camera mounted in it, something not found in the LCD equipped displays. In short, the after-market, LDC mirrors are a quick solution for those who never made a backup camera system and do not have advanced, accident avoidance systems with rear-view mirror integrated camera.

So on one hand Toyota already has a backup camera and display. The engineering, integration and design is done and a substantial amount of operational experience. On the other is qualifying another supplier of unknown quality and operational experience. It is a fair bet Toyota won't 're-invent the wheel' or run off and buy some marginal, 3d party part. But I have experience with a mirror mounted, backup camera.

I've already done the backup mirror with LCD display experiment with our 2003 Prius. It mostly works except last week when the 'bluetooth' would not connect. Then the installer put the camera mounted in the wrong location from my request. I'll wind up taking it out and re- mounting it at the top of the rear window and pointed downward so I can actually see the area behind the car. I'll have to close the existing camera mount hole but that is not a big deal.

The thread title is "Wish-list for 2012-13 Prius." You're wishing Toyota will join the lemings but they introduced and sold the Prius that still out performs all hybrids and competes nicely against the Volt.

Bob Wilson

Which is an option on the current generation of Prius, as opposed to being there for all models, because it's a cost that's easy to cut when the car doesn't NEED it for navigation.

What a fantasy world you live in. So you're saying that the manufacturer can't make whatever minimal-cost changes they need to in order to satisfy the current regulations.

You want the MFD back so badly, you'd stick your head in the sand, eh?

It's all in the numbers, numbers which you clearly are in denial of.

As I was saying earlier:

Sociopaths live to manipulate others by trash talk. In USENET, these useless trolls share common symptoms such as not using their own name and setting their postings disappear in a few days. A sorry excuse for a wasted life, the best answer is to cite just cite empirical facts and data.

Bob Wilson

Oh--you mean like you do, Bob? Your record stands for itself.

So you KNOW "the graphical display is coming back"? You KNOW that for a FACT, do you, Bob?

Which is an option on the current generation of Prius, as opposed to being there for all models, because it's a cost that's easy to cut when the car doesn't NEED it for navigation.

What a fantasy world you live in. So you're saying that the manufacturer can't make whatever minimal-cost changes they need to in order to satisfy the current regulations.

You want the MFD back so badly, you'd stick your head in the sand, eh?

It's all in the numbers, numbers which you clearly are in denial of.

. . . [getting the troll back to at least keeping a record]

We know it is public law and the NHTSA has issued regulations that effectively mandate backup cameras and their displays. We also know Toyota already has a backup camera and display engineered so it is easy to make that a standard part, certainly less expensive than development of or trying to qualify another solution.

Bob Wilson

. . .

Or just cut the navigation unit as they did with our 2001-03 Prius.

The manufacturer has full control of their processes. The previous CEO of Toyota had gone on a 'cost cutting' binge and the resulting loss of quality earned Toyota a black-eye that they are still trying to recover. Most notable have been the accelerator and brake recall. Skimping sometimes makes sense and sometimes it loses customers.

Lead the previous Toyota CEO to be replaced. He was a great cost cutter until the quality led to the well publicized problems. After all, it was how GM and Chrysler went bankrupt and our country bailed them out.It is a,musing to see the Republicans following Proverbs

Bob Wilson

One of the more amusing aspects of these sociopaths is the Kabuki like nature of their postings. The pattern is so predictable, it becomes a 'tell.'

o misquoting - they don't use the exact words but simply make up some nonsense can claim it came from someone else o absence of new information - they don't bring new information to a discussion o feigned outrage - their response to the 'strawman' misquote attributed to others o strawman - inventing nonsense and then trying to knock it down

Like Peter 2:22, they are oblivious to their behavior, don't realize it is so transparent but it is 'an ill wind that blows no good.' We can take their nonsense, trim out their insanity and use it to bring new information to the discussion. They are probably obvious to this but it doesn't matter. Just follow Proverbs 26:4 . . . trim out their nonsense and continue the thread with facts and data.

Bob Wilson

In fact, I'm sure they are oblivious . . .

Bob Wilson

What's that, Bob? Misquoting AGAIN?

So now you're saying that "it's public law" that the graphical display is coming back?

You are such a sick f*ck.