Toyota Prius: BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)

The Blind Spot Monitor in the Toyota Prius utilizes rear side radar sensors, installed on the inner side of the left and right rear bumpers, to assist the driver in confirming safety when changing lanes. This advanced system enhances driving safety by detecting vehicles in the Prius's blind spots and alerting the driver accordingly.

WARNING

Cautions regarding the use of the system

• The driver is solely responsible for safe driving. Always drive safely, taking care to observe your surroundings.
• The Blind Spot Monitor is a supplementary function which alerts the driver that a vehicle is in a blind spot of the outside rear view mirrors or is approaching rapidly from behind into a blind spot. Do not overly rely on the Blind Spot Monitor. As the function cannot judge if it is safe to change lanes, over reliance could lead to an accident resulting in death or serious injury. As the system may not function correctly under certain conditions, the driver's own visual confirmation of safety is necessary.

• System components
• Blind Spot Monitor operation

System components

1. Meter control switches

Turning the Blind Spot Monitor on/off.

2. Outside rear view mirror indicators

When a vehicle is detected in a blind spot of the outside rear view mirrors or approaching rapidly from behind into a blind spot, the outside rear view mirror indicator on the detected side will illuminate. If the turn signal lever is operated toward the detected side, the outside rear view mirror indicator will flash and a buzzer will sound.

3. Driving assist information indicator

Illuminates when the Blind Spot Monitor is turned off. At this time, a message will be displayed on the multi-information display.

Outside rear view mirror indicator visibility

In strong sunlight, the outside rear view mirror indicator may be difficult to see

Buzzer

If the volume setting of the audio system is high or the surrounding area is loud, it may be difficult to hear the buzzer.

Customization

Some functions can be customized.

WARNING

To ensure the system can operate properly

Blind Spot Monitor sensors are installed behind the left and right sides of the rear bumper respectively.

Observe the following to ensure the Blind Spot Monitor can operate correctly.

• Keep the sensors and the surrounding areas on the rear bumper clean at all times.

  If a sensor or its surrounding area on the rear bumper is dirty or covered with snow, the Blind Spot Monitor may not operate and a warning message will be displayed. In this situation, clear off the dirt or snow and drive the vehicle with the operation conditions of the BSM function  satisfied for approximately 10 minutes. If the warning message does not disappear, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.

• Do not attach accessories, stickers (including transparent stickers), aluminum tape, etc. to a sensor or its surrounding area on the rear bumper.
• Do not subject a sensor or its surrounding area on the rear bumper to a strong impact.

  If a sensor is moved even slightly off position, the system may malfunction and vehicles may not be detected correctly.

  In the following situations, have your vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.

• A sensor or its surrounding area is subject to a strong impact.
• If the surrounding area of a sensor is scratched or dented, or part of them has become disconnected.

• Do not disassemble the sensor.
• Do not modify the sensor or surrounding area on the rear bumper.
• If a sensor or the rear bumper needs to be removed/installed or replaced, contact your Toyota dealer.
• The sensors are likely to be affected by paint on the rear bumper. If the rear bumper is not repaired correctly, the Blind Spot Monitor may not operate with a warning message displayed.

  If any paint repair is needed, contact your Toyota dealer.

Turning the Blind Spot Monitor on/off

The Blind Spot Monitor can be enabled/disabled on of the multi-information display.

When the Blind Spot Monitor is off, the driving assist information indicator  will illuminate and a message will be displayed on the multi-information display.

Each time the power switch is turned to ON, the Blind Spot Monitor is enabled.

Blind Spot Monitor operation

Objects that can be detected while driving

The Blind Spot Monitor uses rear side radar sensors to detect the following vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes and advises the driver of the presence of such vehicles via the indicators on the outside rear view mirrors.

1. Vehicles that are traveling in areas that are not visible using the outside rear view mirrors (the blind spots)
2. Vehicles that are approaching rapidly from behind in areas that are not visible using the outside rear view mirrors (the blind spots)

Detection range while driving

The areas that vehicles can be detected in are outlined below.

The range of each detection area is:

1. Approximately 1.6 ft. (0.5 m) to 11.5 ft. (3.5 m) from either side of the vehicle*1
2. Approximately 3.3 ft. (1 m) forward of the rear bumper*2
3. Approximately 9.8 ft. (3 m) from the rear bumper
4. Approximately 9.8 ft. (3 m) to 230 ft. (70 m) from the rear bumper*3

*1:The area between the side of the vehicle and 1.6 ft. (0.5 m) from the side of the vehicle cannot be detected.

*2:While the vehicle is to being overtaken, up to approximately 9.8 ft. (3 m) forward of the rear bumper will be detected.

*3:The greater the difference in speed between your vehicle and the detected vehicle is, the farther away the vehicle will be detected, causing the outside rear view mirror indicator to illuminate or flash.

The Blind Spot Monitor linked function

The LDA (Lane Departure Alert) has a function that uses information of detected vehicles driving in an adjacent lane. For details about the function and its operating conditions

The Blind Spot Monitor is operational when

The Blind Spot Monitor is operational when all of the following conditions are met:

• The power switch is in ON.
• The Blind Spot Monitor is on.
• The shift position is in a position other than R.
• The vehicle speed is approximately 7 mph (10 km/h) or more.

The Blind Spot Monitor will detect a vehicle when

The Blind Spot Monitor will detect a vehicle present in the detection area in the following situations:

• A vehicle in an adjacent lane overtakes your vehicle.
• You overtake a vehicle in an adjacent lane slowly.
• Another vehicle enters the detection area when it changes lanes.

Situations in which the Blind Spot Monitor cannot detect vehicles

The Blind Spot Monitor cannot detect the following vehicles and other objects:

• Small motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.*
• Vehicles traveling in the opposite direction
• Guardrails, walls, signs, parked vehicles and similar stationary objects*
• Following vehicles that are in the same lane*
• Vehicles traveling 2 lanes away from your vehicle*
• Vehicles which are being overtaken rapidly by your vehicle.*

*: Depending on the conditions, detection of a vehicle and/or object may occur.

Situations in which the buzzer does not sound

In the following situations, the outside rear view mirror indicator flashes but the buzzer does not sound even when the turn signal lever is operated.

• When another vehicle is detected while the turn signal lever is being operated
• When your vehicle overtakes a vehicle in an adjacent lane with a large speed difference*

*: Depending on the conditions, the buzzer may sound.

Conditions under which the system may not function correctly

• The Blind Spot Monitor may not detect vehicles correctly in the following situations:

• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the sensor or its surrounding area
• When mud, snow, ice, a sticker, etc. is covering the sensor or surrounding area on the rear bumper
• When driving on a road surface that is wet with standing water during bad weather, such as heavy rain, snow, or fog
• When multiple vehicles are approaching with only a small gap between each vehicle
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is short
• When there is a significant difference in speed between your vehicle and the vehicle that enters the detection area
• When the difference in speed between your vehicle and another vehicle is changing
• When a vehicle enters a detection area traveling at about the same speed as your vehicle
• As your vehicle starts from a stop, a vehicle remains in the detection area
• When driving up and down consecutive steep inclines, such as hills, dips in the road, etc.
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or uneven surfaces
• When vehicle lanes are wide, or when driving on the edge of a lane, and the vehicle in an adjacent lane is far away from your vehicle
• When an accessory (such as a bicycle carrier) is installed to the rear of the vehicle
• When there is a significant difference in height between your vehicle and the vehicle that enters the detection area
• Immediately after the Blind Spot Monitor is turned on
• When towing with the vehicle

• Instances of the Blind Spot Monitor unnecessarily detecting a vehicle and/or object may increase in the following situations:

• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the sensor or its surrounding area
• When the distance between your vehicle and a guardrail, wall, etc.

  that enters the detection area is short

• When driving up and down consecutive steep inclines, such as hills, dips in the road, etc.
• When vehicle lanes are narrow, or when driving on the edge of a lane, and a vehicle traveling in a lane other than the adjacent lanes enters the detection area
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or uneven surfaces
• When the tires are slipping or spinning
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is short
• When an accessory (such as a bicycle carrier) is installed to the rear of the vehicle
• When towing with the vehicle