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Gear joystick to the steering wheel

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by suren, Jan 16, 2011.

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  1. suren

    suren New Member

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    Hello guys,

    since the gear joystick has no purpose like they do in the normal cars,
    wouldn't it be nice to move it to the steering wheel. like some model cars have, wouldn't it save space ??,, wouldn't be fun to change when it's behind the steering wheel ??,

    please let me know what you think and what wrong with my idea ??

    thank you,
    suren
     
    #1 suren, Jan 16, 2011
  2. Troyroy

    Troyroy Member

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    No.......not on the steering wheel. The steering wheel is or could always be in a different angle..the buttons would always be in a new position.

    Plus....it's been my experience that buttons on the steering wheel are the first ones to fail on any car I have owned. Not something that I would like to see on my next Prius.

    I would however like to see the shift lever done away with and replaced with buttons much like the EV/ECO/PWR buttons.
     
    #2 Troyroy, Jan 16, 2011
  3. Sneezy

    Sneezy Member

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    I would think people could hit it like a radio button.. nah, I don't like it. To distracting. People have enough trouble between the gas and brake pedal.

    I do kind of miss three on the tree though! Those were the days.
     
    #3 Sneezy, Jan 16, 2011
  4. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    The 1st gen had a steering column mounted shifter.

    No, on the steering wheel buttons. That's really non-standard and nobody else does that. Yes, I too have seen people w/all inoperative steering wheel buttons.
     
    #4 cwerdna, Jan 16, 2011
  5. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Edsel had the shifter in the middle of the steering wheel.:eek:
     
    #5 xs650, Jan 16, 2011
  6. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    #6 cwerdna, Jan 16, 2011
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I already dislike the radio and other buttons because I cannot tell be feel alone which one my finger is on. Previous cars had a few 'braille' markers or other differences so my fingertips would get a blind position reference without taking eyes off the road. But this car's smoother button panel requires a visual fix, and my aging eyes cannot change focus between the buttons and road, and adjust for sharply different inside vs outside lighting conditions, as quickly as they did decades ago.

    The shift knob is an important backup safety control in case the alleged Toyota Sudden Acceleration issue ends up having any substance. I can slam it into N (via the R position) nearly reflexively (thanks to the old three-on-the-tree transmission pattern) and instantly, without probing around for which is the correct button or trying to compensate for the steering wheel rotation.

    I have no problem changing the location of the shift knob, as that is easy to adapt to when changing cars. But please keep its basic feel and operation the same.
     
    #7 fuzzy1, Jan 17, 2011
  8. suren

    suren New Member

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    hello guys,
    thank you, i'm not talking about buttons, i'm talking about steering column mounted shifter.
    which would be in this order - R N D B, it will just work like the joystick, no buttons, then the car would feel like toy car, having that as an option would be great. i couldn't find photo but if anyone finds plz post, so other can see what i mean.
     
    #8 suren, Jan 17, 2011
  9. Teakwood

    Teakwood Member

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    :twitch: :sick:
     
    #9 Teakwood, Jan 17, 2011
  10. twittel

    twittel Senior Member

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    With the shifter on the steering wheel, the tiny night light would have nothing cool to shine upon.

    BTW, I can remember when the very early 60's Chryslers had push button shifters.

    Happy Motoring,

    Tom
     
    #10 twittel, Jan 17, 2011
  11. Sporin

    Sporin Prius Noob

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    No thank you. Given how poorly designed (imo) the current steering wheel buttons are I don't think we need Toyota putting even more up there.

    I really like it on the "bridge" where it is now. Falls readily to hand.
     
    #11 Sporin, Jan 17, 2011
  12. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The Gen II Prius has the shifter on the dash, which keeps it nicely out of the way, but still accessible. I prefer the dash location, but marketing research showed that the unusual location was a potential turn-off for new Prius buyers.

    Tom
     
    #12 qbee42, Jan 17, 2011
  13. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    The steering wheel is the place for buttons you use while driving. You don't use the shift lever unless you have stopped or are trying to slow the car ( B ). It's better where it is or on the dash. It would be awkward on the steering wheel. Besides, what would happen in an accident? You really want the shifter in your chest? ;)
     
    #13 David Beale, Jan 17, 2011
  14. J5A

    J5A Active Member

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    I prefer the shifter locale on the Gen II best.
     
    #14 J5A, Jan 17, 2011
  15. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    How about if they switched to shift-by-voice? I can hear it now on the 911 recording, after the floor mat entraps the accelerator pedal (said with increasing pitch and volume):

    "Please say a command after the beep; Beep."

    "Neutral"

    "Please say a command after the beep; Beep."

    "NEUTRAL!"

    "Please say a command after the beep; Beep."

    "NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL, NEUTRALNEUTRALNEUTRAL!!!"

    "Please say a command after the beep; Beep."

    "Oh crap, oh crap, oh CRAP!"

    "Command not recognized. "Please say a command after the beep; Beep."

    Tom
     
    #15 qbee42, Jan 17, 2011
  16. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Or worse, you go to lay on the horn and instead engage neutral, reverse, or park. No thanks.
     
    #16 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 17, 2011
  17. suren

    suren New Member

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    guys, it's not a button on steering wheel, what i'm talking about is something like the like controls you have behind the steering wheel, a joystick like that ...
     
    #17 suren, Jan 18, 2011
  18. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    What you describe was very common in American cars a number of years ago. It was called a column shifter, since it mounted on the steering column. They were usually used with a three speed manual transmission, so they were also called "three on the tree".

    Tom
     
    #18 qbee42, Jan 18, 2011
  19. suren

    suren New Member

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    yap, this is what i was referring, a column shifter("three on the tree").
    thanks tom.

    wouldn't this be cool to shift and drive
     
    #19 suren, Jan 18, 2011
  20. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Naaah.
    I'm not wild about the shifter that's on the car now, but a column shift seems wrong too.
    I don't have any stick time in a G2, so I really don't know what I would do, except maybe keep the current shifter location, and maybe put a proper shift knob into the G3.

    A lot of Prius drivers say that they prefer the open cabin of the G2s.
     
    #20 ETC(SS), Jan 19, 2011
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