Toyota really knows it's demographic...

There have been a couple of Toyota Corolla TV ads that have had heavy circulation lately, and they are both right up there with the "Grounded to the Ground" campaign in my book in terms of annoyance.

First, is the "You Don't Own Me" one. It revolves around some lady who sucks at her job as a cook. Her boss dumps her food out in disgust and she gets canned, so she starts singing. She hops in her brand new Corolla and drives off. At some point in her adventure, she's in the car, not paying attention because she's too busy playing with the radio, and drifts into the oncoming lane. The Lane Departure System starts beeping, and she corrects. She then buys a food truck. Yay.

The next commercial revolves around some artsy "urban" photo shoot with an older 70's Corolla (which is cool, BTW). On the way to the shoot, the driver is playing with the radio and not paying attention to the road, and drifts into the oncoming lane. The Lane Departure System starts beeping, and they correct. They do fancy light tricks with some light wand thing and have a hipstergasm. Also yay.

The point? Both commercials advertise the fact that the car will remind you that when you aren't paying attention, the car will tell you when you are about to cause an accident.

Part of me is angry that Toyota is showing examples of how you can use this system as a crutch, but another part of me sees this as truly brilliant advertising. Basically, Toyota acknowledges that many of it's buyers are way too busy to be driving or forget that they are driving, and that this will help them get from Point A to Point B without killing themselves or others. They know their customer base, that's for sure.

I'm amazed all the self driving car hype hasn't been coming from Toyota.

Unless it has, I don't really pay attention.

Well, have you driven a Toyota? Great cars, but boring.

I have a Camry. It is a car. That's about all I can say.

Where can I get one of these? I don't have that model. I'm trying to "collect them all..."

Honestly, lane departure is going to be a standard feature in every vehicle soon. In this world of people who would rather do other things that drive, it's a necessary thing.

However, I don't think it's appropriate to highlight this in TV commercials telling people visually (i.e. nobody reads the fine print) that it's ok to be distracted because the car will warn you. The same goes for the automated braking systems.

Other manufacturers are running similar ads these days, I think VW has one.

Automatic braking is cool and once people get used to it you can kiss any form of paying attention goodbye. I'm waiting for some sort of auto move where you can stare at your phone at a stoplight and your car will start moving when the car in front does. Then only the guy at the front of the line has to pay attention. I don't want it for me, I want it for all of the people who are staring at their phone anyway and mucking up traffic by having to wait until someone honks for them to move.

I think they should get rid of the buzzer and put in something to shock the driver. Get rid of the bad habits all together through negative reinforcement

When Toyotas stopped being grounded to the ground, they lost me.

I've been meaning to bitch about that one, I might not own you, but somebody will if you keep driving like that.

mad_machine wrote: I think they should get rid of the buzzer and put in something to shock the driver. Get rid of the bad habits all together through negative reinforcement

I was just thinking of that the other day, put the electrodes in the seat base so they can't just learn when it shocks and let go of the wheel.

You could do it through positive reinforcement too. Friend's MINI has a program in the computer that allows you to "play" with chasing the highest MPG you can get. I think it should work the other way, if the car senses you drive terrible, you should get terrible gas mileage too. Once you start paying attention and such, it rises back up to where it is supposed to be as a "reward"

SilverFleet wrote: ...Both commercials advertise the fact that the car will remind you that when you aren't paying attention...

Like when they bought the car?

Everything about new cars and the ads they use to sell them annoys me..

Which reminds me, we will soon get to see the Lexus (i think) commercials where the wealthy husband buys his wife a new car for Xmas and gives it to her with a big red bow on it...

I'm not sure why everybody hates on this stuff. People don't pay attention and maybe the drift over center. Maybe this will get them back where they belong before they hit somebody head on or run somebody off the road. "But they should be paying attention!" Yeah, they should, but it doesn't always happen. Its not a new thing either. Its loads of fun to hate on the hipsters, but people have been not paying attention since the days of the model T. We have the technology now to maybe save a life or two. Why is that bad?

gearheadmb wrote: I'm not sure why everybody hates on this stuff...

It's been shown that when the borders of any "system" are improved, people will eventually adapt to those new borders.

E.g. ABS brakes improve braking performance, and thus safety... until drivers figure out they can stop that much quicker and work to those new limits.

"you shouldn't be texting"

"don't worry, I have lane departure control"

I think lane departure warning should be also connected to electrodes in BOTH the drivers and passenger seats.

Flyin' Miata started as The Dealer Alternative, a VW/Audi/Porsche repair shop. There was apparently an Audi that had copper-colored upholstery, so the guys used to strip a foot of wire, fan it out and put it on the driver's seat. Hook it to the coil and get the new guy to start the car.

I have also threatened to attach the ignition system to the driver's testicles and activate it in place of an oil pressure light. Teach you to ignore the warning light and pop the engine...

Anyhow, all of the car manufacturers are touting their automagic safety controls and clueless drivers. The dream of the open road is fading, performance has become so ridiculous that EVERYTHING has more power than necessary - so that's what sells cars.

People keep pointing out that our V8 ND doesn't have traction control. That's right, it doesn't have damn traction control. This is an advanced skill level vehicle fitted with a linear throttle and with high levels of mechanical grip. Do your own traction control. If you're stupid, it will try to kill you. You not being stupid is your job, not mine.

trucke wrote: Well, have you driven a Toyota. Great cars, but boring.

There is one model new this year that ain't boring in the least to drive...

the 86.

It is based off an older model though...

the FR-S.

novaderrik wrote: Everything about new cars and the ads they use to sell them annoys me.. Which reminds me, we will soon get to see the Lexus (i think) commercials where the wealthy husband buys his wife a new car for Xmas and gives it to her with a big red bow on it...

Need some more Lexus commercials like this...

"Dance of F"

Every time my wife needs a new car we test drive a Toyota along with other things. Never bought a Toyota because they are just too boring. She's had a Mazda 626 turbo, a 626 V6, a Maxima, a Corrado G60, a Range Rover, and in the leaner years she made due with a couple of Sentras, a Saturn SL2 and a Taurus. When I got tired of working on my dad's TR7 and Rover SD1, I convinced him to buy a Celica GT. Never had to touch that thing, but even the GT version was not fun to drive.

trucke wrote: Well, have you driven a Toyota. Great cars, but boring.

It's too bad that they are so swoopy. I want a car that is boxy, but good.

Keith Tanner wrote: People keep pointing out that our V8 ND doesn't have traction control. That's right, it doesn't have damn traction control. This is an advanced skill level vehicle fitted with a linear throttle and with high levels of mechanical grip. Do your own traction control. If you're stupid, it will try to kill you. You not being stupid is your job, not mine.

I wonder if you marketed it as a 1/3rd-price Porsche GT2...

Nah. Different demographic altogether.

To be fair, Toyota isn't the first one to advertise that you can drive without paying attention and the car will save your butt. I remember some Infiniti ads from fairly recently that openly talked about the car watching the road for you so you don't have to. I forget the exact wording used, but it clearly talked about the car paying attention on your behalf.

And...not that I'm a fan of the Corolla beyond respecting it's awesomeness as an appliance...but they're obviously doing something right. Look at how many cars they sell.

Knurled wrote:

trucke wrote: Well, have you driven a Toyota. Great cars, but boring.

It's too bad that they are so swoopy. I want a car that is boxy, but good.

Good idea. Be safe instead of sexy.