Toyota Prius: Safe Exit Assist

The Safe Exit Assist in the Toyota Prius utilizes rear side radar sensors, installed on the inner side of the rear bumper, to help occupants judge if an approaching vehicle or bicycle may collide with a door when exiting. This system aims to reduce the possibility of a collision by alerting occupants to potential dangers as they open the doors to exit the vehicle.

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 safe exit assist is a supplementary system that, when the vehicle is stopped, informs occupants of the existence of approaching vehicles and bicycles.

  As this system alone cannot be used to judge safety, over-reliance on this system may lead to an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

In certain situations, this system may not function to its fullest extent. Therefore it is necessary for the occupants to visually check for safety directly and using the mirrors.

• System components
• Safe exit assist operation

System components

1. Multi-information display

Turning the safe exit assist on/off.

If collision with a door is likely and the door is opened, the door will be displayed on the multi-information display. Also, if a door is opened when an outside rear view mirror indicator is illuminated, a buzzer will sound as a warning.

2. Outside rear view mirror indicators

When a vehicle or bicycle which may collide with a door (other than the back door) when opened is detected, the outside rear view mirror indicator on the detected side will illuminate. If the door on the detected side is opened, the outside rear view mirror indicator will blink.

3. Driving assist information indicator

Illuminates when the safe exit assist is turned off. At this time, a message will be displayed on the multi-information display.

4. Speakers (voice notifications*)

When the outside rear view mirror indicator blinks, the driver is informed through voice guidance that the system has operated. After the notification through voice guidance is made, no more voice guidance notifications will be made again until the door is fully closed.

*: If equipped

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.

Voice notifications (if equipped)

In the following situations, voice notifications will not be output:

• When it is estimated that no occupants are on board*
• After opening a door and entering the vehicle, until the hybrid system is started
• When 3 minutes or more have elapsed since the hybrid system was stopped
• When the language setting of the Multimedia Display has been set to a language that does not support voice notifications
• When all of the doors have been locked from outside the vehicle
• When a door remains open for 1 minute or more after the hybrid system is stopped
• When the ACC mode has been enabled through a customize setting on the Multimedia Display and the hybrid system has been stopped
• When the parking assist volume setting on the Multimedia Display has been set to off

*: For each seating position, judgment is made based on the opening and closing of a door, before driving for ingress and after driving for egress.

Customization

Some functions can be customized.

WARNING

To ensure the system can operate properly

Turning the safe exit assist system ON/OFF

The safe exit assist can be enabled/disabled on of the multi-information display.

When the safe exit assist 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 safe exit assist is enabled.

Safe exit assist operation

Objects that can be detected by the safe exit assist

When the safe exit assist detects the following vehicles or bicycles behind your vehicle using a rear side radar sensor, the occupants of the vehicle are informed through an outside rear view mirror indicator, buzzer, multi-information display, and voice notification (if equipped).

1. Vehicle or bicycle which has a high possibility of colliding with a door (other than the back door) when opened

The safe exit assist detection areas

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

1. Approximately 145 ft. (45 m) rearward from the front door*

*: The faster a vehicle or bicycle is approaching, the distance at which an outside rear view mirror indicator will illuminate or blink will become further.

The safe exit assist is operational when

The safe exit assist is operational when all of the following conditions are met:

• When the power switch is ON, less than 3 minutes have elapsed since the hybrid system was off, or less than 3 minutes have elapsed since a door was opened and someone has entered the vehicle (the time which operation is possible may be extended if a door is opened and closed)
• Safe exit assist is on
• The vehicle is stopped.
• The shift position is in a position other than R.

The safe exit assist will detect a vehicle when

The safe exit assist will detect a vehicle present in the detection area in the following situations:

• When the vehicle is stopped and a vehicle or bicycle, which is traveling parallel to the vehicle, is approaching within the area that a door opens (other than the back door)

Conditions under which the system will not detect a vehicle

• Safe exit assist does not detect the following objects, vehicles, and bicycles:

• Vehicles or bicycles which are approaching slowly*
• Vehicles or bicycles which are determined to have a low possibility of colliding with a door (other than the back door) when opened*
• Vehicles or bicycles which are approaching from directly behind*
• Vehicles or bicycles which are approaching from the front*
• Guardrails, walls, signs, parked vehicles, and other stationary objects*
• Pedestrians, animals, etc.*

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

• In situations such as the following, safe exit assist will not operate:

• When 3 minutes or more have elapsed since the hybrid system off (the time which operation is possible may be extended if a door is opened and closed)
• When your vehicle is not completely stopped

Conditions under which the system may not function correctly

• The safe exit assist 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 the vehicle is stopped on a wet road surface, such as in a puddle, while in inclement weather, such as heavy rain, snow, fog, etc.
• When a vehicle or bicycle approaches from behind a nearby parked vehicle
• When an approaching vehicle or bicycle suddenly changes direction
• Immediately after a vehicle or bicycle starts moving
• When the back door is open
• When a bicycle carrier, ramp, or other accessory is installed to the back of the vehicle
• When a parked vehicle, wall, sign, person or other stationary object is behind the vehicle
• When the vehicle is stopped at an angle to the road
• When a vehicle is traveling near an approaching vehicle or bicycle
• When an approaching vehicle or bicycle is traveling along a stationary object, such a wall or sign
• When a vehicle or bicycle is approaching at high speed
• When towing with the vehicle
• When stopped on a steep slope
• When stopped on a curve or at the exit of a curve

• Instances of the safe exit assist 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 a vehicle or bicycle approaches from behind your vehicle at an angle
• When the vehicle is stopped at an angle to the road
• When a vehicle or bicycle approaches from behind a parked vehicle at an angle
• When a parked vehicle, wall, sign, person or other stationary object is behind the vehicle
• When an approaching vehicle or bicycle suddenly changes direction
• When an approaching vehicle or bicycle is traveling along a stationary object, such a wall or sign
• When the back door is open
• When a bicycle carrier, ramp, or other accessory is installed to the back of the vehicle
• When a vehicle or bicycle is approaching at high speed
• When towing with the vehicle
• When stopped on a steep slope
• When stopped on a curve or at the exit of a curve