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Radar cruise changes the way I drive

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by IAPrius, Jul 29, 2016.

  1. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    The radar will detect if a car gets within the distance you set. If too close, the car will automatically slow to increase the distance, then resume cruising speed afterward.
     
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  2. Jim in NC

    Jim in NC Active Member

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    The DRCC makes my highway part of my daily commute so much less stressful!

    To solve the problem of tailgaters/road-ragers I like to set the DRCC on and follow someone who is driving close to the limit without slowing down. That makes other drivers think I'm going slow because I'm stuck behind some granny.

    I always use it in my morning commute and my highway portion is probably 25 miles of the total 30 miles.
    Today for instance, my average highway speed was 70/71 with A/C on at 65°F. When I pull into my parking lot at work the MID read 65+ mpg for my drive. (in reality probably 61/62 mpg).
     
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  3. SAronian

    SAronian Active Member

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    Agree, it is a tremendous improvement over standard cruise-control. My favorite use is on two-lane highways when following a group of cars who's speed varies between 45-60mph. Just set it for 65mph and enjoy the ride. So much more relaxing!
     
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  4. Gen 2 Tom

    Gen 2 Tom Active Member

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    I find the cruise control will not reduce my speed when someone pulls in front of me going faster than my set speed. Even when they are closer than my distance set. I use the longest distance. It works well at knowing who is in my lane and who is not.
     
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  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I've never seen the brake lights - I've never seen another Gen4 on the road. Maybe I could reverse up to a shop window one night.
     
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  6. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    It does - if I've got mine set at 83km/hr and the car in front is driving <83, she will track to the leading car's speed, but if the car in front starts going faster, Samantha will maintain 83, and eventually lost touch with the lead car.
     
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  7. kenji4861

    kenji4861 Member

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    Does the Lane Keep assist almost make it so you don't have to drive at all on the freeway?

    not having to stay focused on slowing down / speeding up does take quite a bit of work already but curious how well the lane keep assist works.
     
  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    No, I've not found Lane Keep Assist to be at all consistent - have only felt it working once, but it was more "nudging" me to make sure I knew I was changing lanes. Maybe check back in 5 yrs and they might have a BETA Autonomous Mode.
     
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  9. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    There are 4 levels of autonomous driving. A feature like LKA is only level 1.
     
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  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    In the almost 7 years I've had my Gen 3, I've never switched to regular CC. I've always used DRCC.
     
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  11. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Shove something heavy up against the brake pedal. Than you can get out and take a look.
     
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  12. jbkendrick

    jbkendrick Active Member

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    The lka feature on gen4 is definitely a safety only feature as it will wait until you are at or over the line and then the nudge will take you back too far to the other side until you get nudged back the other way, putting you into a weaving pattern at which time the mid will ask if you need a rest, and if noted by the police they'll ask if you've been drinking J
     
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  13. PriUncut

    PriUncut Active Member

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    I agree 100%! And that played a major role in me buying this car. I anticipated getting a job with commute... but decided the only way I was going to tolerate it... was with the help of DRCC. I no longer dread stop and go traffic. It's amazing how much stressful stop-n-go traffic is! But not anymore for me! :)
     
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  14. Blizzard_Persona

    Blizzard_Persona Senior Member

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    Now I am tossed Up.

    Do I buy the 3T Tomm that obviously has the DRCC or just the plain ol three and save some cash...like $1800?

    The nice thing about the T is it's the only T model that has a spare tire...

    The 3T is blue crush and it's seriously growing on me (wife and kid both voted for the blue crush T).

    Or do I save a couple grand and get the regular three? :unsure:

    I am pretty convinced that a two and or Eco is out of the question since I really do enjoy Sirius XM and even though the Nav is a love hate relationship it's decent. Plus I'm not sold on harvest beige interior which the Eco / two both have that are on the lot for Tomm...

    :confused:Decisions...
     
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  15. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    The LDW and LDA with LKA works really well. But it is, and couldn't be otherwise, on image recognition from the windshield camera.
    I have tried it a few times by leaving my hands off the wheel and see what happens. It nudges you back. And at the third time it tells you to keep the hands on the wheel.
    I think it does help a lot in case of sleep drowsiness.
    I just wonder how well it works in rainy situations. It does work at night.
     
  16. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    The faster you go the better the lane change works, at 65'ish it almost keeps you in the lane, and it warns you if you are near the edge, over and over, then it asks if you want to take a rest, taking your hands off the wheel alarms it, it tells you to please put your hands back on the wheel.
    Yes, the cruise control is fantastic when in traffic, unless of course you're the type of driver that tailgates.
     
  17. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    LOL You sound like my elderly MIL who says the same thing about conventional CC. For the last 20 or so years, her vehicles have had it but she's never, ever used it.
     
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I didn't realise the 3T's difference over the 3 ($1,850) is larger than the 4T over the 4. ($1,350). Wonder why it's $500 more.

    Aside from TSS-P, you're really just paying for a cosmetic upgrade inside and out - that is the 17" alloys, the LED clearance lights (that become your parking lights at night. The 3 will use the amber indicators as parking lights so there's a distinct difference in nighttime signature), the LED foglights (works better than Gen 2 or Gen 3 halogen foglights), the blue stitching for the seats and the blue accents around the outboard vents. Oh and the "Touring" rear valence (which is just two diagonal lines that break up the monotony of the rear plastic fairing)
     
  19. jbkendrick

    jbkendrick Active Member

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    Just noting that the blue stitching and outboard vent treatment are on the 4 as well as 4t. J
     
  20. artie

    artie Member

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    There is NOTHING alarming, rather the radar determines my peace of mind, if I don't like what the guy or gal in front is doing, i can change lanes. NBD. In return I get to cruise w/out too much interference needed on my part. That being said, the radar does not pick up cars suddenly or not so suddenly changing lanes in front of me until the new car is close to centered in the lane, that can be dangerous if I'm going noticeably faster than the interloper. There are a few drawbacks to the system. I'm always in ECO mode, my car picks up speed slowly. If I see someone right behind me that I "sense" is impatient I will out of consideration use my foot to speed up a bit more quickly. I have 16, 440 miles, the car is just now 6 months old, I drive in San Diego/Los Angeles corridor traffic...kinda heavy traffic, it ain't Nebraska. That also being said, in real stop and go traffic, radar is great, I don't have to react constantly, though when the car comes to a complete stop I do have to touch the gas pedal to get it going, but just a touch is needed. Oh, and by the way my lifetime mpg is 51.1 mpg based on the odometer and actual gas fills...the car says it's 52.8.
     
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