Today it seemed like there was a reverse alarm similar to those put under the back bumper of trucks and vans that was inside the dash around the display screen. Why would they have such an alarm inside the cabin? It makes me want to always find a pull through parking space.
because, the majority of owners are senile, and toyota is hoping they won't back over a pedestrian, thinking they are in drive.
Firstly, The dealer (or anyone else with an OBDII programmer) can change it to a single beep. Insist to the Salesman it is a Term of Sale, as otherwise the Service manager will try to charge you for 5 minutes of work. Secondly, the United States Department of Transportation was concerned that the Prius transmission did not 'clunk' when you put it in Reverse and they demanded that Toyota provide a signal you had just shifted into Reverse. Beeping was much cheaper than creating a 'clunk' so drivers would know they were in Reverse.
I always get amused about folks complaining about the beeping....does not bother wife or myself----actually, we prefer it. We both are old and senile and it keeps us aware we are in R. She is driving her 4th Prius now, my 2014, and is fully adjusted to the beep.
It's taken a long time. But I'm happy to finally find someone else who actually admits to liking the reverse beep. It's never bothered me, and I really don't mind the warning either.
I like the beep too. I'm not enamoured of the shifter tho: cryptic, gives no clue as to what gear you're in. Designed by nerds. Hence the beep, a patch for the shifter's shortcomings.
Why do you need a "clue as to what gear you're in" on the shifter when you have a clear display of that on the instrument panel? Also, the direction of motion to reach each "gear" is distinctly different, unlike a conventional floor-mounted shifter for automatics.
Looking at details on the display is the last thing you should need to do while you are actively changing the direction in which the car is going. You are already having to look over your shoulder and at the 3 mirrors to see where you are going and cars or pedestrians in your path as well as other directions for approaching traffic. Better sight lines would help a lot but a single beep alert at least saves you checking the display and that's a plus. I also find that when I first start out, moving the shifter doesn't put the car in reverse if you I do it too soon.
Looking at the gear selection on the instrument panel won't take your eyes any farther off the world outside than would looking down at the shifter. Besides, if "you are actively changing the direction in which the car is going" by moving that shifter, you can hardly help knowing the direction in which you're actively moving it. Agree about the need for better sight lines in various directions, but that's a different topic.
I think the "beeping in reverse" is turned on as a default to prevent people from thinking they're in "drive" mode. I'm sure you all have seen news reports about someone who could have sworn they were in reverse, then plowed forward into whatever building they parked in front of. It was annoying for me at first too. But then the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to have the beeping for me, so now I don't mind it at all. If nothing else you won't see me on the news for crashing my prius into the local business.
The problem is when you come to a full stop in reverse and wait for whatever reason. For example, let's say you have encroached into the cross walk a bit at the stop and you back up to let a pedestrian pass. You stop and wait for the light to turn green. You forget to shift out of reverse because there is no beeper. You hit the throttle and bang, you are into the bumper of the guy behind you! I know you don't get it, but you will one day when you are a Senior Citizen. We like and appreciate the beeper in reverse.
