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2016 Prius Navigation screen blanking when car is moving

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by FF/Medic, May 22, 2018.

  1. FF/Medic

    FF/Medic Member

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    My 2016 Gen 4 Toyota Prius - trim style four has the issue of blanking or graying out the navigation screen when the Prius is moving above a few miles per hour. This is annoying as the Toyota screen blanking feature also disables the ability to make a phone call from the screen. Prius owners should know that Toyota also disables the screen display for emergency services after a few pages. It can be a safety hazard to pull off a road where the speed is 70 MPH just to be able to view your navigation screen or to make a phone call from the call option on the navigation screen.

    I am sharing my video of the Toyota Prius navigation screen blanking issue here:

     
  2. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    You mentioned making phone calls and the safety concerns of having to stop first... To be fair, you come off every 70MPH road and stop somewhere (e.g. your home). Is it really that unsafe? You don't have to stop on the 70MPH road itself to make a phone call. It's probably not worth risking your life for.

    Balance that tiny risk of stopping somewhere safe to making a call using hands-free... "using a hands-free device is not safer than using a handheld phone to conduct calls, as concluded by case-crossover studies,[1][2] epidemiological,[3][4] simulation,[5] and meta-analysis" (Source: First paragraph of Mobile phones and driving safety - Wikipedia). Using a phone, hands-free or not, kills people, often. It's estimated that up to 5% of all car fatalities (that's 65,000 people a year) are caused by the driver talking on the phone, hands-free or not.

    I'm not sure what you mean by "view your navigation screen". If you're referring to the Nav screen (where you enter an address into the Sat Nav), then also it won't let you do this. Many Sat Navs don't. It's also illegal to do this while driving in many countries. The text on the screen on the video isn't needed while driving. You're either travelling there (then use the Sat Nav), or you're trying to call them (stop, it's safer). If you want to make an emergency call, also stop, it's still safer.

    The car is keeping you and the people around you alive. You should be thanking it. :D
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't recall anyone mentioning this before, or on previous generations.
     
  4. Hidyho

    Hidyho Senior Member

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    Its supposed to do that, thus why there is hands free calling. You aren't supposed to be able to enter much on your screen while moving, only very minor things.
     
  5. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    RE: Placing phone calls while moving, there is limited functionality: You can select calls from the Call History page. You cannot lookup a contact or enter a number manually.
     
  6. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    Can't the trim 4 make voice activated calls ?
     
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  7. kevinwhite

    kevinwhite Active Member

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    You can also put those numbers as favorites which are available when moving.

    Same thing with Navigation system - you can have 5 favorites assigned to the icons at the bottom of the screen for access while moving.

    kevin
     
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  8. FF/Medic

    FF/Medic Member

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    When driving on the freeways in Los Angeles, or in many urban areas, it is not easy to pull over and exit. With heavy traffic, that can add 30 minutes or more to a commute. I understand the issues with distracted driving. However, when I am on a screen with the phone number and a call icon, I believe a driver or passenger should be able to tap the icon for a connection.

    If Toyota was really concerned about Prius drivers or passengers looking at your navigation screen while moving, Toyota could disable the other screens like the weather map. I think Toyota went too far in blanking out information when my car is moving more than one mile per hour. Even emergency services like hospitals and fire departments are grayed out when the car is moving faster than one mile per hour. I do not appreciate a car manufacturer acting as a "nanny" to help protect me and my passengers by disabling some display screens of the navigation display when my Prius is moving.
     
    #8 FF/Medic, May 26, 2018
    Last edited: May 26, 2018
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Phone calls while driving, just puts me in mind of the movie Locke (starring Tom Hardy): definitely worth a watch.

     
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  10. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    [QUOTE="FF/Medic, post: 2729384, member: 148456]it is not easy to pull over and exit. With heavy traffic, that can add 30 minutes or more to a commute.

    I do not appreciate a car manufacturer acting as a "nanny" to help protect me and my passengers by disabling some display screens of the navigation display when my Prius is moving.[/QUOTE]

    I get that it's an inconvenience, sometimes a serious one. But being dead is arguably more so.

    Unfortunately, some people still feel it's a better option to make a call or type stuff on their sat nav while driving, than it is to stop first, despite the overwhelming evidence that shows its very very unsafe and it killing over 170 people every day. They cite reasons such as it taking too long or not appreciating being nannied, not realising or not caring that this attitude could very well get themselves killed one day, maybe along with their family, friends, kids, and people in the other vehicles they hit.

    Ironically, the very fact people still choose to drive dangerously, is exactly why car manufacturers have to force these types of issues and nanny people in the first place.

    Pixel 2 ?
     
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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Similarly, thanks to a few nuts that love to tear down lanes and through parking lots (car parks), we're beset with speed bumps (sleeping policemen).
     
    #11 Mendel Leisk, May 26, 2018
    Last edited: May 26, 2018
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  12. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    I forgot about that. You get 4 quick access phone numbers on the home screen...
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i thought there was a defect.
     
  14. FF/Medic

    FF/Medic Member

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    As Toyota allows the use of the navigation screen to dial four quick access phone numbers from the home screen, I believe it is more distracting to first select the home screen to access four stored phone numbers instead of directly selecting the green "dial" icon from the display screen I am already on. When my Prius brings up a maintanance screen with the dealer name and phone number and presents a "dial" icon, I expect to be able to make a phone call without finding an exit, then pulling over to a complete stop. Accordingly, for Toyota driver safety, I wonder if Toyota will now delete the ability to initiate a telephone call from the home screen in future nativation updates.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    does the gen 4 have the aftermarket nav unlock product available?
     
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  16. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    Yes. Mine is by BeatSonic.
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    simple enough.
     
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