tazdevl

One other thing I just noticed today that bespeaks to the lack of polish with the nav/voice/display. Look how the volume is displayed... "Vol_35". No mask for the system value whatsoever so it says "Volume 35". Same software engineer probably also thought it would be a good idea to display the bluetooth mac address when pairing a phone.

Agree on the nav and radio issue mentioned at the top of the page. Annoying that the stereo isn't muted with ASL enabled and nav directions are being voiced.

Not major issues but it make it appear that Lexus cannot get their act together technologically and is missing some of the finer details.

LeoDLion

My opinion is that the voice recognition is quite green and does not work for us. Hierarchical? Yes. Slow? Yes. I'd rather use the mouse because its relatively faster.

tazdevl

I haven't looked yet but on a first pass there doesn't seem to be an easy way to train the nav. If you do have an accent, ala TX, self-explanatory why it isn't working too well and needs some extra cycles to process.

I wouldn't say there is a huge difference when compared to my 08 EX35 and 07 MDX. My 2008 EX35 was maybe a tad bit faster but less accurate than Lexus. Downside of the EX was that you couldn't control anything but audio, phonebook and nav. MDX was slow but as accurate as the RX but ytou could control more. Nice thing about it though was no hierarchical menus.

Wife's 08 RX350 VR sucks, same one I had in my 06 IS350. Lexus shouldn't have even marketed that as a feature. It's horrible.

Big part of how well the system works is driven by both the VR software and hardware they put in. Given Lexus' lack of true innovation on the tech side (good example... finally got iPod and they did a mediocre job on the implementation 5 years after the competition), my guess is that they didn't spec it out well enough. As mentioned previously, lot of this gets into their testing methodologies and who they're testing. As a marketer, I can tell you it's pretty easy to screw up your market research, get the wrong people in your pool, guide/direct the interviews and validate your own bad ideas if you're not careful.

The more I think about it... it really seems like Lexus wanted to acheive parity on a lot of these things and not push or innovate. Potentially their core customer perceived a lot of this new tech as moving away from the tried and proven formula that has made the RX so successful for the company.

Folks on these boards are on the tail of the bell curve when compared to your average RX customer. We're hypercritical, info seeking early adopters and very vocal. Granted this isn't a bad thing because a lot of noise here could indicate a broader issue that Lexus needs to deal with. Call us an early warning alarm.... front bumper issue is a good example.

LeoDLion

Texas accent? That is very funny because I was not born and raise in Texas. But what about the other regional accents? Southern accent, Boston, New York, Californian accent? I think anybody that comes from a region has an accent. What about Canadian accent? The VR should incorporate this differences and recognize the voice command irrespective of accents. What about Lexus sold in othe countries?

I believe the VR technology is in its infancy if not in its childhood. The day the technology can recognize everyday conversation without hierarchical structured commands is still somewhere in the future. For me it is still a novelty but not practical.

But keep on trying.

CEOEngr

Lexus VR technology has come long ways since 2001 when it was introduced in the LS430. It still has some ways to go.

On a side note, there is a technology research firm in Cambridge UK that holds most of the patents on VR technology and licenses them out. And according to one of their management staff, most of the issues arises when others take their technology and make changes to interface with their end products.

tazdevl

Makes sense in some ways... why license the full monty if you only need part?

cactusgary

MAIN COMPLAINT - Parking assist - no assistance in the front sensors - only 2 and I can actually drive into a wall without activating them ?? Makes no sense.

The navigation software is really poor; why would Lexus put such a good system mechanically and then marry to junk software?

Lexus used to lead the way in new technology; now picking up the rear. I would think the new safety features like blind spot assist, lane change assist and other new innovations available on lots of cars in the RX price range would be available on the RX.

Perhaps the higher echelon do not monitor this sight.

cafpaf

I have no significant complaints with our 2011 RX 350 other than some design preferences, but I am wondering does anyone know if there is someone from Lexus customer service who monitors this or any other CL forum. I know that GM has someone who does that on the Cadillac CTS forum. Truthfully, that I don't think that GM's person does a lot of good, but they are there to assist through private messages.

DunWkg

Perhaps one of the moderators would know if Lexus follows any of these forums. Lexus is active on Facebook.

Stormforge

yes, lexus does browse club lexus. whether or not they actually read complaints is another matter (although one would think they do).

Sal Collaziano

That would be my forum. And they cover all the models - not just the CTS. All the manufacturers have people browsing forums for opinions and information.

Otherwise, I hope Lexus has addressed some of these issues as the lease is almost up on my 2010 RX350 and my wife is asking to simply get another one. If these issues are not addressed, however, she also likes the Cadillac SRX.