I just heard today that a self-parking option is available on the international Prius models. Maybe this has been discussed before here, but I was in total shock! I am dying to see a video of this, but I couldn't find one. Does anyone have a source? Here is one article about the feature:

http://www.time.com/time/2003/inventions/invprius.html

Apparently 80% of Japanese drivers choose this feature.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/mone...35/detail.html

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Hillary

I have seen a video of it 'self parking' and it was really cool, but I don't think very useful.

It took quite a while to sort of "program" where the curb was, so you spend a lot of time just sitting there "ready" to start parking, playing with the MFD, lining up the video image with overlay lines to tell it how it should park. Unless you are totally useless at parallel parking, or are obsessed with technology, I really don't think it's a must have feature... The rear view camera is very useful though, I'd definitely get that option now that it's available in the '06.

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It was discussed in great detail back when the Prius II first made its debut, though not on GreenHybrid since this site wasn't around for the first couple months. It was the general concensus that, like the EV button, legal reasons in the US prevented Toyota from pursuing it.

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I remember a friend of mine going nuts when she heard about this as an option about a year and a half ago as she was ordering her Prius II. I wonder why the delay.

I've heard rumors it is against the law in the states, and I have to admit, it is a scary thought to have the car moving under its own power...as an insurer, its a disaster...would an accident during parking be at-fault? not at-fault (since the driver didn't do it himself)? would people try to hold Toyota liable if the parking didn't end well?

It seems like another one of those "show-your-friends" gadgets that maybe you don't use every day, but some aspects of it (like immediately judging whether a space is big enough) would help all of us out. Doesn't look like it will be available here in the U.S. anytime soon, but I think its being released in Britain with the 2006 (just a rumor)?

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Hillary

That would make sense; parallel parking is much more prevalent in Europe.

weird! i'd be scared to use a feature like that.

i've always known how to parallel park, i used to practice in my driveway with my barbie corvette power wheels (my first electric car!)when i was little. i never understood what all the fuss was about. i didn't even need to do it to get my license, it's not part of the test in Florida.

If Americans weren't so lawsuit happy we could get cool technology like that here in the states... Like the self-driving system that GM is putting the Opel Vectra. Forget about something like that coming over here anytime soon. GM would go bankrupt after the first car is sold.

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It was in 1984, but you didn't have to do it successfully to pass. The points deducted for not doing it right went with whatever other points you got deducted, but all that mattered was your final overall score.

Guess which were the only points deducted when I took my test?

Integrated Parking Assist so far has only been available on the Japanese 2004-? Prius. Some European countries will be getting it as an option in 2006. Still not available in North America, though.

Video demo is here (be sure to use the Next button to continue):
http://www.toyota.co.jp/company/priu...q/pop_ipa.html

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