Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota, Detroit Auto Show
Detroit 2009 Preview: Third Prius teaser appears
Toyota seems to be following the same pattern with the new Prius that Ford has done for the last couple of months with the new Mustang: dribbling out a steady stream of close-up teaser shots. Following the display boot-up screen and a switch we now have the image you see above. My first thought was a radar sensor for adaptive cruise control. However, given the way it's mounted, this is more likely to be on the inside of the vehicle. As such this is probably a heads up display projector or possibly a lane departure warning camera. What do you guys think?
[Source: CleanMPG.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gd 4:35PM (10/20/2008)
looks like a cup holder/warmer - keeps your coffee hot in style
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Robert 4:54PM (10/20/2008)
I think this teaser shot stuff is annoying.
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John Rowell 5:16PM (10/20/2008)
It definitely has a lens inside. So I'm guessing it's a camera. But what kind of camera? Maybe a rear-view system?
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amg 5:44PM (10/20/2008)
HAL!
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Donnie 11:23PM (10/20/2008)
I was just gonna say,
"Good morning, Dave...."
!!D 5:46PM (10/20/2008)
I second the rear-view camera. Side-view mirrors will stay on the vehicle (for legal reasons), but if you remove them, you get less drag.
PS: Radar does not benefit from optical lenses.
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Justin 10:15AM (10/21/2008)
Back up camera for sure.
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Josh 12:52PM (10/21/2008)
Idiots... NO FREAKIN' WAY IT"S a BACKUP CAM.
Reasons it's not a backup cam:
1) Cut plastic around the camera indicates this is interior.
2) The cut plastic is interior color.
3) Prius backup cam would be housed weather proof, like the current one, cause it's outdoors... so NO BIG HOLES for water to get into.
4) Current Prius includes backup cam standard already... why would they leak pics of it... they recently leaked some switch that looked like a sunroof control... that's new and worth leaking.
Best Guesses:
1) Night vision H.U.D. like the Cadi's had.
2) Projected speedometer H.U.D.
Justin 3:08PM (10/21/2008)
I see your point. The only other Toyota Tech I can think of is the Lexus driver aid that can tell if you are drowsy or not paying attention.
Sasparilla 1:55PM (10/21/2008)
Hey Josh, lets keep things civil around here...no need to call people idiots no matter what the reason.
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Jim 5:17PM (10/21/2008)
Mind Control Device: emits thoughts that your brain picks up while you are driving, "You will buy more Toyota Priuses soon, you will buy more Toyota Priuses soon, you will vote for Owl Gore and Barack Obama...etc."
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Andrew 10:27PM (11/23/2008)
I'm a Toyota technician, and in the "news feed" that pops up in the Techstream scantool computer, it mentions a "Lane Keeping Camera" being one of the "new car features" that is supported by the latest update of the software, and it's mentioned under the "2010 Prius" but it doesn't give any further details.
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