jasoncd

iTrader: (2)

If you don't have nav, it's about the same thing, but without color. The car displays on the display between the MPH and Tach gauges. The front works great for me, at least in my garage. It also gets set off by bushes

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

I second that. If anything, give the user the ability to set the sensitivity of it via the park assist screen or personal settings.

Patton333

I do not have the parking assist on my car as for whatever reason it was not available at the time of my purchase. I do however have the backup camera and that is more than sufficient. My mother's LS has the parking assist. It seems pretty helpful as it shows you a skeletal image of the car on the Nav screen with audible tones and visual lines showing how far you are from an object. I would not however, recommend getting it after market as they cannot match the paint on the sensors to that of your car as if it came from the factory, so the sensors will just be black. They also cannot tie it into the Nav like the facotry does. My understanding is that the after market parking assists ar just audio. Doesn't seem worth it to me unless you get it from the factory.

richw350

I have PA and I am very glad I got it. Very helpful when parking, operating in tight areas. Between the PA sensors, backup camera, and mirrors, most of the perimeter is covered.

ISbb

In fact 2 in the front and 4 at the back

socalJD

There's no disable switch on the IS ? The LS has an on/off switch for PA, so you can temporarily disable the system when stuck in stop & go traffic. I don't recall if the PA display came up on the Navi screen, I'll have to check that out next time I drive my parent's LS . . .

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, you may disable the PA, but it never comes on or sounds unless I'm intentionally parking. For this reason, I just leave it on at all times, but could imagine it being a potential problem in traffic, so I imagine Lexus left it off the very front pointing forward for this reason.

TimboIS

That I doubt. If you're driving that close in traffic to set off the PA, then you have bigger problems.

socalJD

Completely disagree - ever been to a sporting event and have to park in a structure ? I've been stuck in a parking structure in a long line of cars trying to go out the same exit, and you will very easily set off ANY PA system - it's just the nature of beast. Getting stuck is irritating enough, add to it the constant beeping from the PA, a couple of screaming kids in the back and you have the recipe for a nice migraine . . . no thanks - gimme a PA defeat switch.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

I see it every weekday actually, especially when merging onto a major highway... Yes it may sound foolish, but it does happen more often than it should, or could be something like pedestrians in a crosswalk, gas at a station, waiting for a car wash, etc. Overall point is that there are many situations where you're moving forward slowly, and not parking where you'd get a false alarm.

The rear sensor is active while in reverse, and the corner sensors when the car senses the steering angle and/or object, but how would you regulate a front sensor (anyone with aftermarket have experiences)?

Perhaps road debris damaging the sensor was also a concern, as the manaul does specify that you must be careful about protecting them from shock/impact.

I'd lastly imagine that front crash regulations (including those for pedestrians), along with the cars aero design (and fascia support), didn't provide adequate space for a sensor.

Bichon

It's a good thing that the car has a PA defeat switch. I've had problems with false alarms and warning messages in bad weather from snow and ice buildup on the sensors. I believe that it can even false in heavy falling snow.

TimboIS

If you're going highway/merging speeds and are setting off the PA, then you are driving extremely foolishly, as they only go off at 18" or closer.

ff_

I can see the parking assist being useful for a person that has no idea how to park a car.

ff_

I think the point was that if you were driving that close at higher speeds, that would be foolish. I don't think he was referring to inching along in a slow line of cars.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

When we refer to "traffic", we mean slow, congested, bumper to bumper, squeezing for spots, type traffic.

"you don't want beeps going off while stuck in traffic situations, where the car can't make the distinction between parking, and not."

I at least hope nobody is attempting to park their car at 60 mph.

The manual states that the distance at which the rear sensor begins to sound (used since its opposite of the front), is around 4.5 feet- a measured test in my vehicle came out to roughly 4.7 feet. When in traffic, people travel at this distance all the time, which would drive a sensor nuts should it not have its range configured to be appropriate.