LAMark

Went to my local dealer to check out the 2010 RX for the wife. Lots of nice features, but I kept comparing unfavorably to to my LS, which I remain very happy with. One new thing in the NAV system (besides the new joystick controller thing which did work pretty well) is XM weather. I liked it. Is there any chance they could update the LS system to include it? I suppose even if they could they might want to only have it on the new models, but it would be cool to have.

Mike_TX

It didn't have the live doppler radar like Acura, did it?

I haven't seen one in action yet, but I figured it just had the little smiling or frowning suns and the temperatures.

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dimapb

If you have XM subscription then you already have XM Weather. Just tune to channel 2XX (for your area) and you have it.

LAMark

This feature is called "XM NavWeather" and apparently is was previously available on the 2009 Acura RL and TSX. It shows real-time doppler maps, alerts you via voice notification of trouble spots, and has a graphic weather forecast that shows up on the display. Seems to me that in a system that already has XM reception capabilities this should be doable in softare/firmware. Just wondering if that's true and if so what are the chances we can get it on our LS's.

Mike_TX

No, not THAT XM Weather. That's just a voice report that goes along with the traffic reports.

What we're talking about is a graphical display on the nav screen.

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Mike_TX

The doppler weather radar is a new service that is available on certain new Acura vehicles. To get that display, though, you have to have a receiver for the radar signal that overlays the radar over the nav map display.

Can't do it via software.

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encore888

I sat in an RX 350 with the XM Weather, I believe it has the doppler weather display. There was a map of the local terrain, with green zones representing precipitation, etc.

LAMark

OK, I'm speaking from a position of almost complete ignorance about XM, but why would they need a different receiver (hardware) if there is already a communication channel in the base XM receiver? I suppose it would depend on the protocol for receiving the doppler data and where the map overlay rendering takes place but if there is a programmable processor in the car's NAV system I don't understand why the current base system couldn't be used to do the calculation. Certainly if XM wishes to continue to add services they could have built in something like this to begin with. Why limit your market to new installations? After all, the profit is in the recurring subscription charges.

Johnny

I don't think the development/adaptation hardware/firmware costs are footed by Lexus, but by XM. Considering that XM/Sirius aren't exactly in great financial shape these days, and whether a feature such as Doppler maps have a limited audience for automobile users (mostly benefits marine & aviation), then investing in a retrofit would seem a little bit risky.

Mike_TX

Nupe - the colored thingies you're referring to are weather warnings and watches, which are issued on a county-by-county basis.

The XM Weather Radar actually has the doppler radar display like you see on your 10 o'clock weather report. Looks something like this:



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encore888

Interesting, thx for the Doppler pic. These are fairly zoomed in pics of the RX 350 system, I have seen pictures of the Acura TL radar map from wide angle, I wonder how they look at close zoom.

Mike_TX

I guess I have to stand corrected about the RX system ... it looks like a takeoff on the doppler images, just without color gradations to show intensity.

I thought the RX showed only weather warnings and watches, and apparently I was wrong!

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PatsSoxfan

Wow, that's pretty impressive that you get live radar images. My wife and I just ordered the new RX450h and I did not realize you also get radar images. I knew about the live, graphical (and text) weather forecasts for various cities.