Pre-collision _warning_ system experiences

I have the V with the ATP, I have used the Cruise Control with the DRC Radar, and the LKA (Lane Keeper Assist), I hope to NEVER have any experience with the PCS system, as it pretty much only goes off IF AN IMPENDING UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT is about to occur. Notice the wording, you pretty much can't do anything about it. The Cruise Controler with DRC active will follow a car, and speed up and slow down as needed, keeping a nice following distance, if someone cuts in front of you, it will attempt to react in time, but it may not be able to.... I have had this happen once or twice already (picked up the car on Saturday), but I just hit the brakes and slow down, taking the system out of cruise control... I really don't want to experience the PCS system working, thank you

Mitch

 

I have ~1 month/1500 miles in the left seat. The LKA & RCC work pretty much as advertized. Toyota lists a number of circumstancces where the systems are unavailable. In yesterday's rain LKA wouldn't lock on (as noted).

The RCC does a good job maintaining speed & distance for formation flying. I've found its braking to be too aggressive when the target is braking for a turn or stopping for a traffic light. I prefer a more gradual speed reduction and a glide to the light. The RCC will keep the speed up & apply the brakes harder.

I too am not going to ask someone to help test the limits of PCS. The only things missing are the NAV lady saying "Brace for impact" and the whoop! of the klaxon. However, based on my experiences with LKA & RCC I'll believe Toyota's documentation of PCS is accurate. Will it help reduce damage & injury? IMO, yes. Will it save your nice person? No.

I have not experienced any nuisance alarms with these systems.

This page contains many alarms:

http://policeinterceptor.com/navysounds.htm

 

I pretty much regularly use RCC in the last couple of months (after the initial 3000 or so miles). I find that it works well. A few times I think the PCS system also activated. This is what happens. I am cruising along in RCC mode, then the car in front brakes rapidly, or someone cuts into my lane. The car starts beeping loudly with a message flashing on the MID (I think it says "Brake" or something to that effect). But I never felt the seat belts tensioning, I wonder if that aspect is not working? - can someone clarify?
I think PCS is always on, even without RCC. However I have not had an occasion to see the same drama as described above in non-cruise mode.

 

I actually had my PCS actuate last week. It was freeway traffic going about 20-MPH, dry pavement, at night. Cruise control was off. I was distracted for a moment and didn't notice the car in front of me stopping. I noticed the impending fender bender at about the same instant that the PCS went off. The MFD said something (maybe BRAKE), the large yellow triangular symbol with a "!" appeared, and there was a rapid and loud beeping. I applied the brakes and was able to slow down without the ABS coming on and without making contact with the car in front. I "think" I would have stopped in time without the PCS in this case, but it was gratifying to see it in operation. I didn't notice any changes in the brake system or the seat belt retractors. Maybe that comes later?

I have never in about 4,000 miles of rush-hour commuting had a false PCS alarm. I can see the LKA system being beneficial on long trips, but not really needed in traffic. It picks up the lane markings fairly well, but here in California the freeways are cement-paved and don't have quite the contrast ratio that white lines on black pavement would exhibit. The Radar Cruise Control is really cool and I use it a lot. It doesn't trigger on adjacent traffic, seems to track through curves, and uses doppler radar for relative speed sensing. It doesn't actuate in heavy rain.

 

Very true!

 

This post has an actual video of people in my car reacting to the sudden tensioning of the seatbelts after a car merged in front of us on the freeway:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...cial-2010-prius-owners-pics-8.html#post869081

The brakes were definitely primed by the system, because I barely touched them in this case and got a very strong braking reaction. Be it bad driving or too much playing around when I was showing off the car to folks, I've experienced this 3 times now. Another time was approaching a lane divider too fast and too close coming off an exit ramp (waiting for an opening in the adjacent lane). PCS and the radar cruise seem worth the admittedly high price to me.

 

Driving today in heavy traffic. My Cruise and LKA were off. I thought that disabled the radar. I was wrong!! I was trying to merge to a left lane and was looking over my shoulder. The car started beeping like crazy and I looked forward. I quickly hit the brakes. The car saved me from rear ending the vehicle in front of me. Im not sure if the vehicle would of braked itself if I didnt react on time.

 

From what I understand, the vehicle will only brake itself when the crash is definitely going to happen and you haven't applied the brakes yourself. It is supposed to slow the car down to under the 5 mph bumpers. So if you don't hit the brakes, you WILL hit the car in front of you, but it will be a very slight impact.

This is one system that I would prefer to hear about from Toyota rather than experience myself.

 

13K miles, no false activations or alarms from the PCS. As others have said DRCC and LKA work great. The Advanced Technology Package is a worthwhile option for those systems.

I never use the IPA to park the car but I have used it to impress my friends a time or two.

 

Picked up a 2010 V with AT last night and on my first commute to work I had what Tideland described earlier.

I was in the fast lane of a three lane highway, DRCC & LKA engaged and traveling at about 75MPH. A Semi was in the slow lane and changed to the center lane. It was not in front of me at any time and yet the car suddenly beeped like a spaz (not the LKA beep). The screen flickered but I did not see what it was displaying as I immediately checked all visual quadrants. I had my foot hovering over the brake but did not press it, so I don't know if it would have assisted or not.

I was very much on the fence about the AT package before purchase but am now very happy I got it, though I do wonder what would happen if the steering assist or brake assist malfunctioned badly.

 

I suspect they are as close to "fail safe" as they can be. If they malfunction they will just turn themselves off, give you a warning message, and you will be no worse off than if you didn't have them.