the real parktronic from toyota
09-02-2003, 03:12 PM
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W211 & Q7
the real parktronic from toyota
Japanese car makers lead electronic side again.
comparing with mb's parktronic, this is REAL one -- using a rear-mounted camera and a computer program to perform its task.
comparing with mb's parktronic, this is REAL one -- using a rear-mounted camera and a computer program to perform its task.
First of all you stop the Prius alongside the parking spot you want it to use and tap the touch-screen in the right place. Then you drive forward until your shoulders (yours', not the cars') are in line with the back bumper of the car you want to park behind, then touch the screen to let the car know where that car is. Finally you drive the Prius forward until it's in the position from where you would normally begin to reverse park.
Touch the correct spot on the screen to let it know you're ready to start, touch the screen for the last time, to agree to the warning that you will take the final responsibility for what the car is about to do. Then put the Prius into reverse, take your hands off the steering wheel and ease off on the brake pedal.
Watch in amazement as, seemingly miraculously, the Prius threads its way into a tight spot. You almost don't believe it at first, but after my third run I had pretty well come to grips with this amazing invention.
Touch the correct spot on the screen to let it know you're ready to start, touch the screen for the last time, to agree to the warning that you will take the final responsibility for what the car is about to do. Then put the Prius into reverse, take your hands off the steering wheel and ease off on the brake pedal.
Watch in amazement as, seemingly miraculously, the Prius threads its way into a tight spot. You almost don't believe it at first, but after my third run I had pretty well come to grips with this amazing invention.
Last edited by Otto; 09-02-2003 at 03:16 PM.
09-02-2003, 03:31 PM
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2003 E-500
I just read about this feature in this morning's paper and didn't realize they were already available in Prius's currently being sold.
Do you own a Prius now or was this on a test drive of a new one?
Toyota/Lexus already have the best NAV system in my opinion and this is another "step up" in electronics for the Japanese over the Germans. My dealer admits that both the Honda and Lexus NAV systems are easier to use than the MB. Lexus also offers a superb Infra Red night viewing system on their LX-470 SUV's and may offer it on the LX-430's, however, I've only seen it on the SUV so far. May have to trade in my Denali to get that neat feature. A friend of mine has it in his and loves it. It sits on top of the instrument panel in the LX-470 and works better than the GM model now available in my opinion in Cadillacs.
Thanks for telling us about your personal experience with the Auto Park Prius. Not sure I'd personally want one as I've always enjoyed the challenge of parallel parking and find that most people really don't know how to do it well today. Many tend to not use the full range of steering available to them and have difficulty with small spaces.
Do you own a Prius now or was this on a test drive of a new one?
Toyota/Lexus already have the best NAV system in my opinion and this is another "step up" in electronics for the Japanese over the Germans. My dealer admits that both the Honda and Lexus NAV systems are easier to use than the MB. Lexus also offers a superb Infra Red night viewing system on their LX-470 SUV's and may offer it on the LX-430's, however, I've only seen it on the SUV so far. May have to trade in my Denali to get that neat feature. A friend of mine has it in his and loves it. It sits on top of the instrument panel in the LX-470 and works better than the GM model now available in my opinion in Cadillacs.
Thanks for telling us about your personal experience with the Auto Park Prius. Not sure I'd personally want one as I've always enjoyed the challenge of parallel parking and find that most people really don't know how to do it well today. Many tend to not use the full range of steering available to them and have difficulty with small spaces.
09-02-2003, 04:46 PM
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03 White on Stone E320
I wish the German companies would swallow their pride and just contract out their electronics from the Japanese. I know BMW has a similar system in development, but I doubt it'll be as easy to use or accurate as the Toyota one.
09-02-2003, 07:32 PM
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06 C 350 2014 GLK350
I have read that Mercedes has a parallell parking system design that is an outgrowth of Parktrionic but I doubt they will ever implement in production cars. How many times do we ever parallell park anymore?
09-02-2003, 10:10 PM
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Probably 15-20 years ago Volkswagen demonstrated the parallel park system on a Vanagon. It never went into production though.
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09-03-2003, 02:14 AM
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Acura TL has another interesting things we alas can't find in our Benzes:
...more standard amenities and several high tech features not offered by other cars in the segment including the first automotive application of a multi-channel DVD-Audio System as standard equipment. The Acura/ELS Premium 8-speaker Surround Sound System with DVD-Audio, DTS and CD, 6-disc Changer, AM/FM Tuner and Dolby Cassette delivers a whole new level of audio fidelity. This DVD-Audio system, developed with Grammy-winning music producer Elliot Scheiner, utilizes six distinct channels (compared with two on the typical premium sound system) to deliver sound resolution 500 times greater than CD. The premium system plays standard CDs, DVD-A discs, and DTS-enabled CDs and incorporates XM Satellite Radio for over 100 channels of premium quality sound.
and already mentioned:
The TL is also the first automobile to offer a Bluetooth-based hands-free phone system as standard equipment. The system, called HandsFreeLink, enables a Bluetooth wireless interface with mobile phones allowing calls to be made and received using the TL's voice recognition and audio interfaces. To make a call, drivers push the steering wheel-mounted HandsFreeLink button, which connects their phone to the system. The driver then says the number to call or indicates an entry stored in the system's phone book. The voice recognition system responds, confirms the number or phone book entry and dials. The number being dialed as well as other calling information is shown on the Multi-Info Display. The HandsFreeLink system can be programmed to accept up to 6 different phones, and up to 50 numbers may be stored in the system's phone book.
...more standard amenities and several high tech features not offered by other cars in the segment including the first automotive application of a multi-channel DVD-Audio System as standard equipment. The Acura/ELS Premium 8-speaker Surround Sound System with DVD-Audio, DTS and CD, 6-disc Changer, AM/FM Tuner and Dolby Cassette delivers a whole new level of audio fidelity. This DVD-Audio system, developed with Grammy-winning music producer Elliot Scheiner, utilizes six distinct channels (compared with two on the typical premium sound system) to deliver sound resolution 500 times greater than CD. The premium system plays standard CDs, DVD-A discs, and DTS-enabled CDs and incorporates XM Satellite Radio for over 100 channels of premium quality sound.
and already mentioned:
The TL is also the first automobile to offer a Bluetooth-based hands-free phone system as standard equipment. The system, called HandsFreeLink, enables a Bluetooth wireless interface with mobile phones allowing calls to be made and received using the TL's voice recognition and audio interfaces. To make a call, drivers push the steering wheel-mounted HandsFreeLink button, which connects their phone to the system. The driver then says the number to call or indicates an entry stored in the system's phone book. The voice recognition system responds, confirms the number or phone book entry and dials. The number being dialed as well as other calling information is shown on the Multi-Info Display. The HandsFreeLink system can be programmed to accept up to 6 different phones, and up to 50 numbers may be stored in the system's phone book.
09-03-2003, 04:18 AM
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Well, if those things in the Acura are important to you, then you should buy one. They're not that important to me. I would rather have an analog clock in my dash instead of all those things in the TL (because they nearly always can be added afterwards). That's why on every car survey form and every focus group I've been to, I keep telling them that I liked the analog clock in my R129 SL.
Actually, I figured if I was gonna pay for satellite radio, I would prefer no commercials. So I would have installed an aftermarket Sirius system instead of XM. But I won't have to, since Mercedes ships with it now.
-s-
Actually, I figured if I was gonna pay for satellite radio, I would prefer no commercials. So I would have installed an aftermarket Sirius system instead of XM. But I won't have to, since Mercedes ships with it now.
-s-
09-03-2003, 10:22 AM
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W211 & Q7
new TL -- bmw 5 exterior ??? with mb e interior ???
I think Dema told us a lot of new TL. Of course, most of us love mb but mb should provide more "standard" features in its "luxury" cars.
TL news from autoweek
have you seen something similar design in your car? (dvd audio instead of cd? standard voice-activated hands-free phone?)
TL news from autoweek
have you seen something similar design in your car? (dvd audio instead of cd? standard voice-activated hands-free phone?)
09-03-2003, 10:48 AM
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Re: new TL -- bmw 5 exterior ??? with mb e interior ???
Originally posted by Otto
I think Dema told us a lot of new TL. Of course, most of us love mb but mb should provide more "standard" features in its "luxury" cars.
TL news from autoweek
have you seen something similar design in your car? (dvd audio instead of cd? standard voice-activated hands-free phone?)
I think Dema told us a lot of new TL. Of course, most of us love mb but mb should provide more "standard" features in its "luxury" cars.
TL news from autoweek
have you seen something similar design in your car? (dvd audio instead of cd? standard voice-activated hands-free phone?)
damn.. the TL has a very nice interior man!!!
09-05-2003, 09:57 PM
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2003 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan/2008 M3 Coupe M-DCT/1996 328i (Gone)/1988 190E 2.3 (Gone)
Originally posted by codex57
I wish the German companies would swallow their pride and just contract out their electronics from the Japanese. I know BMW has a similar system in development, but I doubt it'll be as easy to use or accurate as the Toyota one.
I wish the German companies would swallow their pride and just contract out their electronics from the Japanese. I know BMW has a similar system in development, but I doubt it'll be as easy to use or accurate as the Toyota one.
First you turn the iDrive knob to the right,3 clicks,then push the knob down once, then left another 5 clicks, push knob forward & push knob down. Now you are ready to find park assistance from its manual, then a couple hundreds more knob turning & pushing later, you are ready to tell the computer that you are ready for its help. Now if only you can remember how to use that stupid transmission on the 7 then you should have the car park in no time (say an hour!). Wait, how do you put it in park again?
09-07-2003, 03:58 AM
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Originally posted by c230 sport
If BMW didn't put those high trunklid on their 7 & the new 5, 6 series, then who needs parking assistance to start with. And their new one should be as easy to use as the Japanese ones.
First you turn the iDrive knob to the right,3 clicks,then push the knob down once, then left another 5 clicks, push knob forward & push knob down. Now you are ready to find park assistance from its manual, then a couple hundreds more knob turning & pushing later, you are ready to tell the computer that you are ready for its help. Now if only you can remember how to use that stupid transmission on the 7 then you should have the car park in no time (say an hour!). Wait, how do you put it in park again?
If BMW didn't put those high trunklid on their 7 & the new 5, 6 series, then who needs parking assistance to start with. And their new one should be as easy to use as the Japanese ones.
First you turn the iDrive knob to the right,3 clicks,then push the knob down once, then left another 5 clicks, push knob forward & push knob down. Now you are ready to find park assistance from its manual, then a couple hundreds more knob turning & pushing later, you are ready to tell the computer that you are ready for its help. Now if only you can remember how to use that stupid transmission on the 7 then you should have the car park in no time (say an hour!). Wait, how do you put it in park again?
