Prius 4/4T Autopilot vs Tesla?

I have a Four Touring with the PCP. I've found myself wondering why it can't drive itself a couple times in the last couple weeks since I got it. I have used the parking assist a few times, mostly to demo it for friends. I've used the DRCC a few times, too. The parking assist is spooky, mostly because it is actually pretty good at parallel parking. And the DRCC, so far, has been awesome. I set it for 70mph and the traffic ahead slowed to 65. Then 60. Then they sped up. And so did I! It didn't even flinch when a truck got over too closely. It wasn't a really harsh "cut-off" but it was enough that the DRCC slowed down and backed off. I had a guy tell me he had the same thing on his Dodge and that it locked up the brakes in that situation. I doubt he has the same thing now. I think this system is better.

When I change lanes without signaling, the steering wheel pushes back slightly. It's not enough to make me swerve, but I can feel it. The lane sensor sees pretty well, too. Even when I skim close to a line on a curve, it warns me. Honestly, I don't think it's far off base to think the car could drive on autopilot.

 

I think you will like it. I'm very happy with mine. I might not be as discerning as some of the others on here and I don't think it's perfect. But overall I am very happy with the car and enjoy driving it. I think an autopilot mode would be awesome. I doubt it will happen with only a software update like with Tesla, though. But I don't think it's crazy to think 2017 Prii would have it as a feature.

If you haven't driven one, I think you will be surprised at the handling and the acceleration. I think it's a real improvement. I also get compliments on the looks. It's a damn good car.

 

Hate to tell you this but Toyota will never do a software update to take your "Driver assistance technology" to anything more than what it already can do. When was the last time Toyota did a software update to add new or additional functionality that it didn't have before? Toyota has already updated Entune numerous times and it's still crap.
Toyota also will be the last company to offer autonomous driving vehicle. "Guardian Angel" is their top priority instead of autonomous, full or semi.

 

TOYOTA is indeed in the race - I read a couple of months ago that they expect to have one by 2020 for highway use. I wouldn't be surprised if it was on a modified Prius platform, seeing Prius is their technology showpiece.

 

These both sound right. I think every auto manufacturer needs a plan for autonomous vehicles, and needs to be working on it right now, with early models ready by the turn of the decade - Toyota's no exception. It isn't widely discussed, but the handwriting's on the wall - the future of expressway travel is autonomous vehicles, and I expect to see "manual control" banned before 2040 (perhaps well before), at least on interstates. Declining to produce autonomous vehicles ultimately means declining to stay in the U.S. market - so whether they're early or late (as cproaudio argues), Toyota's going to be there, and late won't be all that late.

But to cproaudio's immediate point about software "upgrades" to the Prius Four/PCP, he's absolutely right. There's some superficial resemblance, but TSS's LDW + DRCC is not equivalent to Tesla's Autopilot - not by a long shot. The Prius doesn't have nearly the processing power, sensing, or vehicle control to operate fully autonomously, no matter how clever someone wanted to get on the software side. I'm sure there's enough to get close if you retrofit more capable hardware here and there, but not with just a software update. And I wouldn't want to get anyone's hopes up about that "retrofit" - I don't imagine anyone but Toyota could build that "kit" without investing more R&D than the limited sales could possibly justify (especially after this week's news about Tesla's Florida accident), and Toyota would rather just sell you a new car.

 

If Toyota is in the race, they're coming up dead last. That "driverless vehicle by 2020" is old news. According to many automotive and tech news sources, Toyota is heading another direction in recent months. They seem think that autonomous safety system has more promise for the near future than autonomous driving system. According to Toyota,, it takes 8 to 10 seconds for a human to take over from autonomous driving to total self control. Personally, it takes a fraction of a second for me to take full control from DRCC+LKA when someone cut me off.
Auto makers need to step up their game on autonomous driving vehicles. Joshua Brown proved Tesla's Autopilot still needs a lot work. I don't know what the hell he was thinking. I wouldn't watch a movie while Autopilot do its thing.

 

There are as many directions with autonomous cars as there are car makers. Other than Apple & Google I suspect most manufacturers will increase the autonomous functions and safety systems over a period of time - but it maybe 5, more likely 10 (+) years before we can say that finally - "it's autonomous - I can read a book while the car drives me to work".

The first to get there will put pressure on the other manufacturers to catch up. And I'd suspect that those who aren't making noises about where they currently stand are, behind the scenes, working hard to make sure they're ready to join the party.

But there are other factors, including infrastructure as well as integration with the existing cars on the roads. As infrastructure makes it more advantageous, cars (& buses and trucks) will step up to fill the demand. There will be an eventual depletion of older cars - like my 2016 Prius, but most car owners won't be binning their "still useful" cars in a hurry. And some countries will be decades catching up with where we are at already.

 

Yeah - it is in the UK manual specs sheet. Of course towbar is a factory fit option here as well (I ordered mine with it fitted). There're pages in the manual explaining fitting options, diagrams etc.

 

Same sheet from Australia - seems we got shortchanged yet again:

 

If you want to see the full "towing" section it's at page 249 in the manual here:
https://myportalcontent.toyota-europe.com/Manuals/toyota/PRIUS_OM_Europe_OM47A31E.pdf

 

Mine just says in large bold print (page 205 of Aussie manual) "Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Toyota also does not recommend the installation of a wow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.".

Interesting and strange - same company, 2 policies - one says yes, the other says "not designed for".

 

Yeah - even in our manual it has two contradictory sections on the same page! (page 249)…

- For Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Israel
Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Toyota also does not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.

- Except for Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Israel
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger carrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer will have an adverse effect on handling, performance, braking, durability, and fuel consumption. Your safety and satisfaction depend on the proper use of correct equipment and cautious driving habits. For your safety and the safety of others, do not overload the vehicle or trailer.
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Ask your local authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional for further details before towing, as there are additional legal requirements in some countries.

 

The core problem here is the assumption that the driver would ever have to take control. Tesla Autopilot is a faint pre-echo of the autonomous vehicles in the pipeline; it's impressive compared to what else is available to buyers today, but far behind the leading edge of what can be done. DARPA Challenge competitors and Google's cars show us what's achievable, and today these state of the art autonomous vehicles outperform most human operators (an admittedly low bar, but folks, that's who you're sharing the road with today, not a population of expert chauffeurs).

The problem with the state of the art is that it's not cost-competitive at present - but we know how that goes, don't we? If Toyota's saying they don't want to take the next step that Tesla's taking right now, that's entirely understandable given their status as the mainest of the mainstream. But if Toyota's in denial on this point more generally, that's about as well-considered a position as the BEV-skepticism that fuels their H2FC Mirai-madness. Enough bad bets like that and they can go from industry leader to has-been hacks quicker than might currently seem possible.

 

I have LDA with SA on my P4. The alert works but I never experienced the steering assist. Does it kick in after several seconds? I checked the settings and it appears to be activated.

 

It is very subtle.

 

There was a discussion this morning on CBC radio, regarding the first autonomous vehicle death. The current iterations still require a driver, watchful, and the car will warn you if, for example, you take your hands off the wheel. I don't think I'll want anything like that, would be interested in a fully autonomous vehicle though.

Death of Tesla driver tests future of driverless car - Home | The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti | CBC Radio

 

"The first-ever death of a passenger in an accident involving a self-driving [emphasis added] car"

Fiction, Fiction. Fiction. That car was not 'self-driving' or 'autonomous'. It just had the highest level of driver assist currently available to the consumer market.

The first crop of self driving cars for the consumer market is expected about 2020. The U.S. feds haven't even issued their regulations for that class of vehicles.