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For its part, Toyota recognizes that some Prius owners will want to hack their cars, but the company doesn't condone the behavior.
"There are people out there who have hacked into the system," said Bill Kwong, a Toyota spokesman. "The tech is out there for technicians. But we don't encourage consumers to do that."
Speaking about the hack that allows Prius owners to use the navigation system while driving, Kwong added, "It is hazardous. It's like talking on the phone or shaving while you're operating the vehicle."
But to Watson, whose company sells a system that allows use of the navigation system while driving, that's exactly the point.
"It's an odd situation," Watson said, emphasizing that Coastal Electronics thinks the system should only be used by the passenger in a Prius. "You can use the radio (and other equipment while driving). It's an arbitrary thing as to what is safe and what is not."
Pizer is also a fan of the hack that allows American Prius owners to switch their hybrids to all-electric mode while driving locally at low speeds. She hasn't installed the system yet that enables the on-the-fly switchover, but expects to soon.
And she's perplexed as to why the button that automatically performs the switch on European and Japanese Priuses is missing in the U.S.
"There's a blank spot on my dashboard where the button is supposed to go," Pizer said. "I mean, the whole point of getting this kind of vehicle is supposed to be reducing our use of fossil fuels."
The fact that the feature isn't available in the U.S. may have to do with the way the Environmental Protection Agency measures fuel efficiency in the U.S., and that such a dual-power system would upset such measurements, said Coastal Electronics' Watson.
Kwong said Toyota doesn't offer the switch to electric mode because of U.S. laws mandating that it offer a minimum eight-year warranty for the car's power system. Thus, he said, by disabling the switch, the company is able to ensure a longer battery life.
Torrone said that he thinks Prius owners are likely to keep the hybrid car among the most popular vehicles for hacking for the foreseeable future.
"I think that this might be the new hackable car platform, as there's more (and more) information out there" about the Prius' electronic systems, said Torrone. "Some of this is dangerous, but that's OK. So was modding cars in the 1950s. I think it's all the same, there's just more electricity involved now."
See more CNET content tagged:
Toyota Prius, hybrid car, hack, hacking, owner
"The fact that the feature isn't available in the U.S. may have to
do with the way the Environmental Protection Agency measures
fuel efficiency in the U.S., and that such a dual-power system
would upset such measurements, said Coastal Electronics'
Watson."
From 05 Ladybug:
Rather than being affected by the EPA, I rather believe that it is
not offered because it might offend Big Oil and sell more hybrid
cars. I've learned from friends that back during the Carter
administration, when solar credits were offered and interest in
solar energy was piquing, that many of the patents were bought
up by those in Big Oil so that they could "discourage" solar's
growth by not allowing it to happen.
The possibility of getting 100 MPH on a Prius? Well, that is a
danger to the selling of gasoline and puts a crimp on Big Oil's
profits. They have a lot of influence--who is to say that they
didn't prevent the switchover to electric power in slow driving?
After the events of the last 5 years, I certainly would look for
answers within the most oil-friendly administration even.
This is just like "that carburetor" that gives cars 200 MPG that big oil companies crushed right?
Maybe you should have read the very next sentance in the article (it crushed your conspiracy).
"Kwong said Toyota doesn't offer the switch to electric mode because of U.S. laws mandating that it offer a minimum eight-year warranty for the car's power system. Thus, he said, by disabling the switch, the company is able to ensure a longer battery life."
In other news: 9/11 was a plot by the Bush administration to get the people to accept a police state.
I have a 2008 UK Prius. My model has the EV mode button, and also an eight year warranty for the car's power system. So frankly that excuse doesn't really hold water.
I wonder why they put multiple seats in the car? A bunch of kids in the back of the car can also distract the driver...
Only in America...
In my opinion, Toyota has created quite a hazard by locking out navigation features while driving over 5mph.
Enter the "0,1 Revolution"
The ability to manipulate software is allowing the people to have the rights they desearve. Changing factory defaults is just another way "We the People," can choose our own freedoms.
Respectfully,
Matthew
Serously, every day I see a new example of big business trying to restrict the customer (whom they claim to serve) in a new and inovative way that premotes gross profit. I'd go through the list but this would be a really long comment and would take away from the simplicity of the original statement.
In reality it would be much more dangerous to program your navigation system while driving compared to operating the radio or even making a cell phone call but the ludicrous thing is that even your passenger can't operate the system while driving. They could work around this by using the already present passenger seat sensor (used for the airbag) to activate/deactivate the controls if they wanted to.
A Prius Hybrid could get advancement in efficiency and get leap on it competition.
100 Engineers can?t compete against 10,000 freelance engineers college students and independent technicians. This kind of R&D could cost billions of Dollars. Software companies hate and love them for making their software better. In end the world winning on that subject.
Jim Forbes
Thats not a hack. Thats the way to do it.
I have a Ford Freestar (canada) van that I use for work. I'm constantly in and out of the van and opening all the doors all day. The van automatically locks all the doors when you start driving. A quick look through the index of my manual tells me a simple 4 or 5 step sequence involving the ignition, and the power lock button. When done, the horn honks twice to confirm.
In that regard... I've 'hacked' a ford freestar...
Read the manual.
Thats not a hack. Thats the way to do it.
I have a Ford Freestar (canada) van that I use for work. I'm constantly in and out of the van and opening all the doors all day. The van automatically locks all the doors when you start driving. A quick look through the index of my manual tells me a simple 4 or 5 step sequence involving the ignition, and the power lock button. When done, the horn honks twice to confirm, and the doors no longer lock automatically.
In that regard... I've 'hacked' a ford freestar...
Read the manual.
http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/2006/05/24/hack-your-toyota-prius-gps-navigation-system/
- by joevitale May 4, 2009 10:50 AM PDT
- OK
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(24 Comments)So how do I get rid of the anoying "beep" on my 2009 prius??