[ElectronMotion]

Anyone got a website that shows the color choices for 2006? Somewhere recently I saw a link to site in Japan that showed some features of the '06, but I don't remember if they had the color selections. I do remember there were some screen shots of the new GPS program on this site. If anyone has the link to that site (GPS), would you please post it here as well.

Thanks

 

[mrv]

US 2004/5 -> 2006 color codes:

Exterior colors
Super White (color code 040) stays same
Black (color code 202) stays same
Seaside Pearl (color code 8S2) stays same
Driftwood Pearl (color code 4S2) stays same
Millenium Silver Metallic (color code 1C0) is replaced:
changes to Classic Silver Metallic (color code 1F7)
Tideland Pearl (color code 6S9) is gone, substituted with:
changes to the new color Silver Pine Mica (color code 6U0)
Salsa Red (color code 3Q3) is replaced:
changes to the new color Barcelona Red Metallic (color code 3R3)
+Add a new gray metallic exterior color, Magnetic Grey (color code 1G3)

As usual, the Japanese have different/additional color choices, so be sure to check the color code to be sure that it's the same one that the US will have. Japan has an additional off-white color, and a different blue color, but one less grey color.
http://toyota.jp/prius/exterior/bodycolor/index.html

I find it sad that I've been through http://toyota.jp/ so much, that even though I cannot read Japanese I can easily find what I'm looking for... It's getting harder now that they're going so Flash/Shockwave-happy. (The download times are longer, too).

 

[ElectronMotion]

Thanks for the info...

I see what you mean about toyota.ja. Lots of flash. Do you have the link that shows some of the GPS screen shots? Perhaps if I click on every link I can on toyota.ja, I'll happen along to it. We're suppose to be setup for a '06 in early January with package 8. With the trade of our '04 plus the tax credit, it will cost very little to "reset" our hibred warantee back to "zero." One wonders how much longer the high resale value will last on the Prius? I'm hoping it lasts long enough to "reset" the warantee again in '08.

 

[ElectronMotion]

Never mind about the GPS info...

I found the info by clicking around on the site listed in the email listed above. It is...

http://toyota.jp/prius/navi-audio/navi/index.html

If you go to this page, you have to scroll down to see the screen shots. According to one of the shots, it says something about HDD which leads me to speculate that maybe the system data is stored on a hard drive. With the screen shots listed, it makes sense for it to be HD based as I believe a DVD system is limited to about 5-7 Megs of data. I recently sold a Lowrance iWay 500C GPS that was HD based and certainly had a better display than our current '04 Prius GPS. From the screen shots, this looks like it will be fun to run.

 

[ElectronMotion]

Backup camera in '06 Prius...

Re my message directly above, if you go to this page with the nav screen shots, directly below is a shot taken with the backup color camera. The shot shows what the view is like backing into a space between two cars. This looks pretty slick when you know how limited the view is looking into the rear view mirror when backing up. This should be a VERY popular option!

 

[mrv]

Re: Backup camera in '06 Prius...

Re my message directly above, if you go to this page with the nav screen shots, directly below is a shot taken with the backup color camera. The shot shows what the view is like backing into a space between two cars. This looks pretty slick when you know how limited the view is looking into the rear view mirror when backing up. This should be a VERY popular option!

Unfortunately, that's the IPA (Integrated Parking Assist), which the US still doesn't get. Rumor is that the European 2006 Prius will get it, though. (Car will parallel park (steer) for you, you just have to watch the brake.)

 

[ElectronMotion]

Are you sure???

I know about the "automatic parallel parking" option. We will NEVER see it in the USA because of the LAWYER group droolling at the mouth at the thought of it.

The picture I saw looks like it is a demo of what the view is while backing into a parking slot between two cars. It's certainly not parallel parking. Now maybe the automatic mode will also slide your car into a slot.

 

[ehurtley]

The 2004 introduced automatic parallel parking. You bring up a screen that shows your rear camera view, then move around a rectangle that shows where you want your car. (It doesn't sense squat. If you place the rectangle in the wrong place, it WILL try to make you hit the other car.) Then it steers for you to end up exactly in that rectangle, with you putting your foot on the brake. There was a video showing a demo of it from the Japanese unveiling when the 2004 first came out, I'll see if I can find it. I'm not sure if you HAVE to hit the brake correctly, or if it just recommends that you do in case it screws up. (i.e. I don't know if the autopark has any control over the gas/brake at all. I don't see why not, I mean the computer really does have 100% control of acceleration/brake as it is.)

Which brings me to... How cool would it be to retrofit one of the Japanese Priuses to be driverless/computer controlled? One forward-facing camera hidden in the grille, on hidden control computer, and link the control computer to the onboard computers, and there would be no way to tell the car has computer controls. (Unlike the recent DARPA competition vehicles, which all have obvious systems to control the steering.) The Japanese autopark Prius already has both computer controlled gas, brake, and steering. All you need is a computer to look at the road. And as the DARPA contest proved, it can be done.

 

[DanMan32]

Based on the descriptions I have heard, it seems the car relies on the creep function, which you modulate with the brake. If you let go of the brake, the auto park cancels. It seems the only thing the autopark controls is the steering.

Which may mean that the HV ECU may not have the programmed functionality to be controlled through the CAN bus.