Installing Aftermarket Safety Features

Discussion in 'Prius c Accessories and Modifications' started by Knice, Jun 2, 2025 at 10:53 PM.

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  1. Knice

    Knice Junior Member

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    I currently drive a 2014 Prius C 4 and will need to make long road trips in the future. This car lacks many of the really nice safety features for long distance driving such as blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warnings just to name a few.

    I did find that there exists a "technology package" for Gen 3 Prius that includes these features, but this appears to be something installed in the car before purchase and not aftermarket.

    I did a bit of searching online and it seems like there exist methods to install all 3 of these technologies to existing cars, but I wanted to ask if other people have experience with these kinds of modifications.

    From what I've seen online, it looks like these would probably have to be done at a dealership/local repair shop and are not really DIY kind of projects. I don't have ECE or ME experience.

    I have about 80k-ish miles on this car right now and I would absolutely love to keep it going longer.
     
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    You would probably save the most and get the highest quality installation out of a mobile autosound/security installer. Dealers won't be very interested in a project like this, and they tend to have higher hourly rates too.

    Blind spot monitoring is likely to be the cheapest of these features to add via aftermarket kit.

    I know there are some aftermarket kits that can provide forward collision and lane departure warning, and they are generic enough that they should work on your car. Safe Drive Systems has one for about $2k though I'm not sure it is still a current offering.

    I have not seen an aftermarket kit that offers adaptive cruise suitable for a Prius c, but it could be out there.

    All of these aftermarket systems are going to be much less expensive than attempting to transplant Toyota's own equipment from other Toyotas.

    Good luck!
     
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  3. Knice

    Knice Junior Member

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    I called a few local repair shops to get an idea of which safety features they can install. This is what I generally understood from my conversations.

    Blind Spot Monitoring - There seem to be very robust systems such as the one by AutoVox (through Advent) like the ADVBSD30 ($600 kit) that's a universal fit for all cars.

    Forward Collision - I was advised against this kind of modification as any kind of aftermarket kit would not be able to provide any kind of emergency breaking, only a beeping alarm system.

    Lane Departure Warnings - I was advised against this for similar reasons as it would only be a beeping system.

    Adaptive Cruise Control - Not realistic/very difficult to install aftermarket
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    at eleven years and 80k, i would invest in a new(er) car if i could afford it
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Forward collision warning and lane departure warning are exactly that- they beep to tell you to do something. Neither feature ever included automotic corrective measures. I'm not sure why that would be a reason against installing it, but it certainly helps to understand exactly what they are.

    Automatic emergency braking is the proper name of the feature that hits the brakes for you, lane keeping assistance is likewise the name of the feature that nudges the steering to correct drift. Much like the people you phoned today, I am not aware of an aftermarket system to provide either those specific features.

    Our 2018 c model includes the TSS-C suite, which incorporates FCW, AEB & LDW. It will beep and show a video message that says "BRAKE!" and (in theory, never personally tested it) it will punch the brakes if I fail to.

    It will beep at us if it thinks we are drifting out of the travel lane. It never steers on its own. The car has a traditional cruise control, no adaptive capability.

    To the best of my knowledge this suite is the most advanced one ever offered on US-spec Prius c cars. The second-generation models probably have the newer TSS system with all the goodies, but Toyota has yet to offer those cars in the USA.

    I'm a big fan of adaptive cruise- our other car has it, and it's a real game changer for long-distance driving.

    To bisco's point above? 11 years is not a bad time to consider trading up. You clearly want some newer features, and a dealer can (theoretically) resell an 11 year old car for good money therefore they can offer you a competitive trade. That all falls apart on the car's 15th birthday because the banks won't do traditional used auto loans on >15yo cars. In addition, the hybrid battery is going to be near its finish line- Toyota built those (in the c model) to last "about 10 years."
     
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  6. Knice

    Knice Junior Member

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    I was told by one mechanic that customers are really looking for the auto-correctiveness and that functionality cannot be implemented aftermarket. The mechanic said that he has had customers who he installed lane departure warnings systems for in the past that were very dissatisfied so he does not recommend it.

    I will probably just look to get a new car at this point. I have driven a car with adaptive cruise control and I do agree that it is a very nice convenience.

    Have you had any luck finding other cars similar to the Prius C?
    I've only really looked into the Prius and Prius Prime/Plug-in Hybrid for potential new cars. I am also considering the RAV4 for additional cargo space with the tradeoff of mileage and vehicle size. Unfortunately none of these options have the form factor and compactness I really appreciate with my Prius C.
     
  7. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    If something happened to our c tomorrow, we would almost certainly replace it with a Toyota Corolla hatchback:

    [​IMG]

    They are not offered with hybrid powerplants in the USA, but that's okay for us- hybrid was always just the icing on the cake when we went searching for a high quality subcompact hatchback. Even as a plain gas-burner, the Corolla has wonderful fuel efficiency.

    There is also the new Corolla Cross, a little mini crossover:

    [​IMG]

    Those are available with hybrid powertrains in the USA. I've rented the plain gas version and I thought it was reasonable, despite the dimensions.

    I think the Honda Civic Hatchback is also a contender in this space, though I have not driven a recent example. Available in hybrid, worth a look I'd say.

    Kia has the new K4 hatchback in the pipeline, due "late 2025." I'm curious to see what they've come up with.

    Good luck!
     
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  8. Knice

    Knice Junior Member

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    I looked up the cars you suggested.
    The thing that stands out the most to me is the lengths of all these cars compared to my Prius C (157 inches)

    Toyota Corolla Hatchback - 172 inches, 35 mpg
    Toyota Corolla Cross (Hyrbrid S trim) - 176 inches, 42 mpg
    Honda Civic Hatchback (Sport Hybrid Trim) - 179 inches, 48 mpg

    The Prius and RAV4 especially shock me with how long they are
    Prius - 181 inches, 57 mpg
    RAV4 Hybrid - 181 inches, 39 mpg
     
    #8 Knice, Jun 5, 2025 at 11:44 AM
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2025 at 11:58 AM
  9. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I'm a big believer in "shape and size" as a primary determining factor for car selection.

    If overall length is the key dimension for you, my next suggestion would be a Kia Soul which comes in at 165".

    I didn't love the early generation of that car, but I think it has matured nicely over the years. Adaptive cruise is an option on the GT-Line trim (only). I've driven a few over the years and they are good for parking & maneuverability. Better than the c for driver vision.

    The Hyundai Venue is even closer at 159 inches. I did not list this because it is not available with adaptive cruise. It seems to have every other modern feature, just not that one. I rent a lot of cars for work and have rented a Venue- the size and maneuverability was very much like our Prius c, but... that's it, I have no other positives to mention.

    Hope that helps!
     
  10. Knice

    Knice Junior Member

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    I am really fond of the Prius C's length because of how easy it makes it to park (I get very anxious while parking).

    The Kia Soul looks interesting, my only grievances being the comparatively low 33 MPG and the fact that I have never driven anything other Toyota.

    The technology pack that adds adaptive cruise control (highway assist?) is $2400 . . . yikes
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you get a new car, research the safety features in a chat room like this, get opinions and take a long test drive under varied conditions to test out the safety features.
    a lot of them are lacking.
    i myself wouldn't recommend toyota safety 2.5, which came on our 2024 hycam, and is not upgradeable.
    but some say 3.0 is much better.
    i would still want to test it before buying.
     
  12. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I can't think of a shorter (length) car that is going to include adaptive cruise for anywhere near that pricetag.

    I mean the MINI is smaller, maybe 156" and it'll have lovely features but they aren't cheap at all.
    The Chevrolet Bolt EV (not EUV) is 163" but I think you're stuck looking for a leftover 2023 model, it's electric whether that helps you or not and has an EV pricetag.
    The new Volvo EX30 is another electric likely to have that feature, in about that size. Again, way bigger bucks for it.

    I'll be curious to hear what you come up with.