Wish List for Future Software Upgrades

[diablo2112]

I'd like to suggest a few software-related changes Toyota could make in future updates. Feel free to add to the list.

1) Implement a home screen on the A/V system. This should be a configurable screen with options for map, phone, audio, etc. This is the #1 request for upgrades, and it's baffling Toyota didn't do this from day 1.

2) Save driving mode changes. When you turn off the 4G, it reverts to "normal". Instead, retain this setting. In my Limited, I drive in the "custom" mode 100% of the time. It's a pain changing this everytime I start the vehicle.

3) Save the "brake hold" setting. Ditto to above. Nearly every other car I've had retains this feature through on/off cycles.

4) Allow the tire pressure screen to be a permanent selection in the gauge cluster, and add temperature information to the display.

5) Enable support for the spare tire TPMS sensor.

6) Bring album art into the gauge cluster as part of the audio display.

7) Reconfigure the whole source/presets portion of the interface. Getting to presets is clunky, and that gorgeous huge screen is basically wasted. Look at a few other manufacturers in how they do A/V and Preset screens. Way more intuitive and more info.

8) Have an option to force the audio source to always remain. Presently, carplay can override your audio source for really dumb things, like when your passenger opens a browser window on the phone. Maybe this is a setting already somewhere in carplay, but I haven't found it.

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[TacoFreak]

@diablo2112 A nice, comprehensive list. It would be awesome if Toyota did that stuff, and you should get paid for your systems engineering.

The settings that persist and the ones which don't baffle me. Like you said, it is normal for those settings to be retained in most vehicles, and having to do them every time you start the truck is dumb.

I also like the idea to add the ability to view stuff that you know the truck is already tracking. Being able to see tire temps would be particularly nice.

I agree that the sweet screen could be better utilized and expect that to happen eventually, hopefully with over the air updates. I know they want it to be driver friendly with large icons, but this version looks like my first Taco to me. lol

This modern stuff is pretty new to Tacomas and it could be a while until they get it right. Good guide for getting them started.

 

[bking]

I'd like to suggest a few software-related changes Toyota could make in future updates. Feel free to add to the list.

1) Implement a home screen on the A/V system. This should be a configurable screen with options for map, phone, audio, etc. This is the #1 request for upgrades, and it's baffling Toyota didn't do this from day 1.

2) Save driving mode changes. When you turn off the 4G, it reverts to "normal". Instead, retain this setting. In my Limited, I drive in the "custom" mode 100% of the time. It's a pain changing this everytime I start the vehicle.

3) Save the "brake hold" setting. Ditto to above. Nearly every other car I've had retains this feature through on/off cycles.

4) Allow the tire pressure screen to be a permanent selection in the gauge cluster, and add temperature information to the display.

5) Enable support for the spare tire TPMS sensor.

6) Bring album art into the gauge cluster as part of the audio display.

7) Reconfigure the whole source/presets portion of the interface. Getting to presets is clunky, and that gorgeous huge screen is basically wasted. Look at a few other manufacturers in how they do A/V and Preset screens. Way more intuitive and more info.

8) Have an option to force the audio source to always remain. Presently, carplay can override your audio source for really dumb things, like when your passenger opens a browser window on the phone. Maybe this is a setting already somewhere in carplay, but I haven't found it.

You should be able to show your tire pressure and temperature on the dash. I have them configured on one of my dash screens. Also, TPMS support is available for the spare. I'm not sure how you get it, probably in the tire sets menu, but when I got new tires the techs at Goodyear somehow turned it on and I would get an error until they put one in the spare. It now shows all 5. I would personally like to be able to just have the speedometer very big and the fuel guage... and that's it, available as an option. Ford and Chevy have this and I love it. Since we can have 3 screens I would love to have this as one.

What really needs to happen is the truck should be smart enough to mute music when listening to a text message. My Ford from 21 had this.

 

[McWubs]

Man, I really just want them to turn the music off when you activate your virtual assistant on CP/AA. Trying to listen to Siri read a text when I was jamming out is next to impossible. I’d agree with everything else mentioned too

 

[goin2drt]

After using remote start and getting in Apple CarPlay to actually connect to the phone

 

[TacoJay]

I'd like to suggest a few software-related changes Toyota could make in future updates. Feel free to add to the list.

1) Implement a home screen on the A/V system. This should be a configurable screen with options for map, phone, audio, etc. This is the #1 request for upgrades, and it's baffling Toyota didn't do this from day 1.

2) Save driving mode changes. When you turn off the 4G, it reverts to "normal". Instead, retain this setting. In my Limited, I drive in the "custom" mode 100% of the time. It's a pain changing this everytime I start the vehicle.

3) Save the "brake hold" setting. Ditto to above. Nearly every other car I've had retains this feature through on/off cycles.

4) Allow the tire pressure screen to be a permanent selection in the gauge cluster, and add temperature information to the display.

5) Enable support for the spare tire TPMS sensor.

6) Bring album art into the gauge cluster as part of the audio display.

7) Reconfigure the whole source/presets portion of the interface. Getting to presets is clunky, and that gorgeous huge screen is basically wasted. Look at a few other manufacturers in how they do A/V and Preset screens. Way more intuitive and more info.

8) Have an option to force the audio source to always remain. Presently, carplay can override your audio source for really dumb things, like when your passenger opens a browser window on the phone. Maybe this is a setting already somewhere in carplay, but I haven't found it.

Was just thinking of this yesterday when I need to do some errands. I wish they could/would add a digital "sticky note" feature for the info screen. Movable digital Post it notes so you could add reminders and such to the screen. I have an app called Floating Notes on my Android phone that would awesome if it could be ported over.

 

[Drunkmonkey]

They have to add the navigation map as an option on the center of the bigger digital cluster like their other model lines

 

[TacoFreak]

A lot of good suggestions in this thread and I hope Toyota is listening, because owners are perfecting the software design and implementation for free! I am a software team lead and if you don't listen to your customers you only did part of your job.

 

[Pootklopp]

After using remote start and getting in Apple CarPlay to actually connect to the phone

Usually the same issue with Android Auto. It seems like once it doesn't "see" your devices at start up it just gives up looking. The truck should constantly search after start up for devices.

I think that's how other vehicles work, but I'm not sure. Seems like a simple fix.

 

[TacoFreak]

On my wife's lexus you can say "Hey Lexus, open Apple Carplay" and it works. A lot of that stuff is common to all Toyota products. Maybe it works on the Taco, but with "Hey Toyota"?

 

[NewtoToyota]

On my wife's lexus you can say "Hey Lexus, open Apple Carplay" and it works. A lot of that stuff is common to all Toyota products. Maybe it works on the Taco, but with "Hey Toyota"?

You can use "Hey Toyota" to do stuff like that

 

[bigd9247]

My Apple Carplay connects fine except if I remote start the truck. Toyota needs to fix the issue with music not pausing when using Siri for hands free tasks.

In my F150 the music pauses, the A/C turns down to be more quiet, etc. In my Tacoma, the music stays at full volume while Siri is talking and when I'm trying to talk to Siri.

 

[Suzay]

You should be able to show your tire pressure and temperature on the dash. I have them configured on one of my dash screens. Also, TPMS support is available for the spare. I'm not sure how you get it, probably in the tire sets menu, but when I got new tires the techs at Goodyear somehow turned it on and I would get an error until they put one in the spare. It now shows all 5. I would personally like to be able to just have the speedometer very big and the fuel guage... and that's it, available as an option. Ford and Chevy have this and I love it. Since we can have 3 screens I would love to have this as one.

What really needs to happen is the truck should be smart enough to mute music when listening to a text message. My Ford from 21 had this.

Are you able to take a pic of your gauge that shows all 5 tpms?

 

[bking]

 

[diablo2112]

What model Tacoma is that? I had my Limited at the dealer to turn on the spare tire pressure. They spent 2 hours, charged me $200, and said it couldn't be done. Something about only the Trailhunter and TRD Pro allowed this. I think they're idiots, and had no idea where to go in the Toyota Connect software, but hey, what do you do?

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