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How to enable Nav/Bluetooth when there's a passenger?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by zenMachine, Nov 14, 2007.

  1. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    I understand that there are ways to bypass the Nav/Bluetooth restrictions while moving, e.g. speedwire cut, Coastal mod, etc. What I'm looking for is a clean way to enable Bluetooth phone features only when there's a passenger in the car.

    Does anyone have any idea if or how this can be done?
     
  2. flydeep

    flydeep New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Nov 14 2007, 09:07 PM) [snapback]539750[/snapback]</div>
    I second this. I think it is a stupid design that Toyota would not think of scenario when you have a passenger who wants to look for restaurants or select audio. Don't get me wrong, I have had the car for less than a week and seem to be loving it. Is there a way to enable this?
     
  3. JoeyJoeJoShabadoo Jr

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    i third it! you would think that when when it activates the passenger airbag that it would allow it to remove the restrictions....these engineers are sitting on their butts
     
  4. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JoeyJoeJoShabadoo @ Nov 15 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]540318[/snapback]</div>
    I don't think this is an engineering problem. I'm sure Toyota engineers can implement something this simple in a flash. It's their legal department that I suspect is at work here.

    As you may or may not know, it doesn't require a real passenger to be sitting in the seat to activate that airbag light. So theoretically, if this feature existed, a driver could easily fake out the system by putting some artificial weight in the passenger seat (a stack of books, for example) to disable the disabling mechanism. But from a legal standpoint such tampering with the system would free Toyota from any liability as long as the manual clearly spells out the correct and legal way to use it. So I still can't see much of a legal issue against implementing this extremely useful feature.

    On the other hand, since we all know how responsive Toyota are to customer requirements and needs, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to do ANYTHING. Thus my question once again, to the Prius electronics gurus out there:

    Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions on how this can be accomplished, or where to start? Thanks.
     
  5. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    The way we override the Nav/BT now is we cut a wire and install a push button on and off switch. If you tee off the pressure switch under the passenger seat, you will in affect still be cutting the speed wire. When this is done, you are not getting the proper data to the Nav system. It gets confused. Most of us just put a switch in and let the passenger activate it. You could always tee off the passenger seat as an additional condition if you don’t trust yourself.
     
  6. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Nov 16 2007, 02:10 PM) [snapback]540701[/snapback]</div>

    My understanding of electronics in general, and of the Prius in particular, is pretty basic, so forgive me if some of my questions seem dumb.

    But if I'm not mistaken, the Coastal mod doesn't cut the speed wire. How then do they accomplish the bypass?
     
  7. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

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    Yeah it stinks. All manufacturers have this annoying "feature". I wish you could sign a disclaimer that released the manufacturer from liability and allowed all the features while driving. It is very annoying, especially on a road trip, for my wife to not be able to type a restaurant name in the Navigation while I'm driving.

    Mike
     
  8. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mingoglia @ Nov 17 2007, 10:13 AM) [snapback]540924[/snapback]</div>
    Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad solution. The question is whether Toyota would be interested in doing something like that. I'd even be willing to pay a reasonable fee to have this done through them.

    One concern with this solution that I might have if I were Toyota is whether the legal disclaimer would remain in force if the car is subsequently sold. How would that situation be handled?
     
  9. burns_fisher

    burns_fisher Burns

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Nov 17 2007, 01:25 AM) [snapback]540826[/snapback]</div>
    With Coastal's gadget, you unplug a cable from the nav unit and then connect their gadget between the cable and the nav. I'm sure it switches the speed wire on and off. If you leave it in "let me enter a destination" mode for a while, Nav gets confused about where it is until it re-syncs with the GPS.

    BTW, my most annoying gray-out is the RDS message screen on the radio. The classical station I listen to puts the name of the piece out as a message. The "we can't show you this" message is longer than the message they gray out in general. Grr. And why on earth is reading this short message more dangerous than all the other things text that IS allowed to display, including the map of the Nav system?
     
  10. Stoodo

    Stoodo Super Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mingoglia @ Nov 17 2007, 11:13 AM) [snapback]540924[/snapback]</div>
    None (or at least most) of the Honda or Acura navs do not lock you out from entering addresses while driving.
     
  11. flydeep

    flydeep New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Burns @ Nov 17 2007, 04:29 PM) [snapback]541014[/snapback]</div>
    Burns,
    You mentioned about a gadget from Coastal that fixes this "security" measure. Can you point to that please?

    thanks!
     
  12. icarus

    icarus Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(flydeep @ Nov 19 2007, 05:15 AM) [snapback]541498[/snapback]</div>
    Do a google search for "Prius lock pick" Coastal electronic, somewhere in FL. ~$100, a bit spendy, and the service was a bit slow, but the best mod you can make for the Prius. Installs in seconds, unplup one wire, plug that wire into the module they send, and plug the other back where the first came out. Couldn't be simpler.

    Icarus.

    PS. I think Toyota should engineer it so if the front seat is occupied it can be overridden. Crazy not to let the passenger input inf!
     
  13. burns_fisher

    burns_fisher Burns

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(icarus @ Nov 19 2007, 07:44 PM) [snapback]541700[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks for responding to the question for me Icarus. I was not on the site for a while. Here is the URL:

    http://www.coastaletech.com/

    I have heard people castigate them for slow service, but I have never found that to be true myself after several orders. Occasionally they don't answer email but I have no real complaint. When I really needed something, they were there.

    Burns
     
  14. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    So the Coastal Mod is essentially a speed wire cut without actually doing any cutting. That's not what I'm looking for then.

    I want the passenger to be allowed to enter info while the car is moving without interrupting any other functions, be it the GPS or the Consumption calculations. Based on the responses so far, this simple requirement seems impossible to implement. What a bummer...