Es350 2010 Voice Recognition

[timzter]

I saved a contact on my iPhone labeled as "AA Reservation" (for American Airlines). The other day while driving, I tried to place a hands-free call by saying, "Call Ay Ay Reh-ser-vay-shun." It doesn't understand that. I tried again with "Call Aah Reh-ser-vay-shun" (thinking that the system thought "AA" was pronounced as "Aah" like the sound you make when your doctor examines your throat). Didn't help either! At the end, I had to pull out my iPhone from my jeans pocket while driving, alternate between watching the road and scrolling through my contact list at the same time to place the call "by hand."

Do you guys think the voice recognition system of the ES350 is a piece of crap also or is it just me??? It would help if there was a "button" on-screen that would speak back to me what the system thinks my contact labels sound like, so I can at least imitate it and try to pronounce it the way it wants. So far I know that "Ed" (as in Edward) is supposed to be pronounced as "Ee Dee" (as in the letters "E" and "D"). It doesn't understand "Ed" the way you and I normally would. "Cafe" is pronounced as "kef", not "keh-fay". Forget "Dr" (as in doctor).

So what are your experiences like with the voice recognition system and how have you guys overcome the issues, if at all?

[LexBob2]

I saved a contact on my iPhone labeled as "AA Reservation" (for American Airlines). The other day while driving, I tried to place a hands-free call by saying, "Call Ay Ay Reh-ser-vay-shun." It doesn't understand that. I tried again with "Call Aah Reh-ser-vay-shun" (thinking that the system thought "AA" was pronounced as "Aah" like the sound you make when your doctor examines your throat). Didn't help either! At the end, I had to pull out my iPhone from my jeans pocket while driving, alternate between watching the road and scrolling through my contact list at the same time to place the call "by hand."

Do you guys think the voice recognition system of the ES350 is a piece of crap also or is it just me??? It would help if there was a "button" on-screen that would speak back to me what the system thinks my contact labels sound like, so I can at least imitate it and try to pronounce it the way it wants. So far I know that "Ed" (as in Edward) is supposed to be pronounced as "Ee Dee" (as in the letters "E" and "D"). It doesn't understand "Ed" the way you and I normally would. "Cafe" is pronounced as "kef", not "keh-fay". Forget "Dr" (as in doctor).

So what are your experiences like with the voice recognition system and how have you guys overcome the issues, if at all?

I don't use the Voice Recognition very often, but when I have I've found it to be hit and miss at best. The last time I couldn't get it to dial my son, Scott. It attempted to dial two other people in my contacts whose names sound nothing like his. I rarely mess with it.

[LennyF]

using very short, one syllable words might work better, like you would talk to a baby. Try something like, “call air line”.

[LEXIRX330]

One thing that I am sure 99.9% of people here will AGREE on is that the voice recognition is a joke. It gets more wrong then it ever gets right.

But in your situation...I am wondering something. I understand that you have the name in your iphone but have you added that voice tag or name to the LEXUS system. I may be way off here and it has been awhile since I have even tried to mess with the VR in the LEXUS at all and I do not remember all of the details in the Owners manual...but I didn't think that it would just call people from your phone by saying call "ED" if..."ED" wasn't in the LEXUS...Phone system? I don't know for sure on this and maybe someone can confirm...

[rob_es350]

One thing that I am sure 99.9% of people here will AGREE on is that the voice recognition is a joke. It gets more wrong then it ever gets right.

But in your situation...I am wondering something. I understand that you have the name in your iphone but have you added that voice tag or name to the LEXUS system. I may be way off here and it has been awhile since I have even tried to mess with the VR in the LEXUS at all and I do not remember all of the details in the Owners manual...but I didn't think that it would just call people from your phone by saying call "ED" if..."ED" wasn't in the LEXUS...Phone system? I don't know for sure on this and maybe someone can confirm...

yeah, I am with the 99.9% regarding the quality of the VR system, but never gave it much of a chance finding it real quick to just push the buttons on the nav screen and/or steering wheel

[RickC5]

I haven't even bothered trying to set up the VR in our ES. We had the Honda version of VR in our Accord, and it worked as well as the other posters here have stated--pretty much not at all.

Some things are worth doing--others not so much. This is one of the "others".

[K.C. Dia]

You got it right. It's a piece of crap.

[SW03ES]

The voice recognition sucks.

Its better in the Jeep, which can voice dial any contact on my iPhone without having to record a voice tag...but its still not perfect.

[Wayne Carsen]

I has an 08 Nissan and Bose system, and the VR worked quite well, compared to my 2008 Camry, now my ES350 2011 is as bad as it was in 08, so not much improvement, with all the complaints and so on about the nav system, and VR, you would think they would try someone else for this Very, Very expensive equipment. $3800.00 in Canada extra. I can but 38 TomToms for that and they also warn about red lite cameras.

Over all I like my ES350, but it's interesting about the competition offering so many new hitec gadgets, like a tire pressure gauge that actually shows pressure and what wheel?? Merry Christmas to all.

[RickC5]

I has an 08 Nissan and Bose system, and the VR worked quite well, compared to my 2008 Camry, now my ES350 2011 is as bad as it was in 08, so not much improvement, with all the complaints and so on about the nav system, and VR, you would think they would try someone else for this Very, Very expensive equipment. $3800.00 in Canada extra. I can but 38 TomToms for that and they also warn about red lite cameras.

Over all I like my ES350, but it's interesting about the competition offering so many new hitec gadgets, like a tire pressure gauge that actually shows pressure and what wheel?? Merry Christmas to all.

Let's not forget that the current ES was originally designed before 2007--6 or more years ago. That's when the decisions were made at Toyota as to which systems would be included in the vehicle. I'm not at all surprised that your 2011 NAV system works the same as the one in your old 2008 Camry, as they are likely identical. Since the 2012 Camry is a redesigned version (a new generation?), I wonder if Toyota bothered to upgrade the NAV system with some new technology? Anyone seen the NAV in the new Camry, as that's likely to be the system that is in the next gen ES.

Also, with the world's economy still in the tank, car manufacturers will do virtually anything to save money (improve profit), and keeping some technology bits around longer than they should is surely saving them money. Both Honda & Toyota have made a science of "de-contenting" their vehicles, which can help explain why some systems/parts are kept in production waaaaay longer than we owners think they should be.

[LennyF]

I has an 08 Nissan and Bose system, and the VR worked quite well, compared to my 2008 Camry, now my ES350 2011 is as bad as it was in 08, so not much improvement, with all the complaints and so on about the nav system, and VR, you would think they would try someone else for this Very, Very expensive equipment. $3800.00 in Canada extra. I can but 38 TomToms for that and they also warn about red lite cameras.

Over all I like my ES350, but it's interesting about the competition offering so many new hitec gadgets, like a tire pressure gauge that actually shows pressure and what wheel?? Merry Christmas to all.

Let's not forget that the current ES was originally designed before 2007--6 or more years ago. That's when the decisions were made at Toyota as to which systems would be included in the vehicle. I'm not at all surprised that your 2011 NAV system works the same as the one in your old 2008 Camry, as they are likely identical. Since the 2012 Camry is a redesigned version (a new generation?), I wonder if Toyota bothered to upgrade the NAV system with some new technology? Anyone seen the NAV in the new Camry, as that's likely to be the system that is in the next gen ES.

Also, with the world's economy still in the tank, car manufacturers will do virtually anything to save money (improve profit), and keeping some technology bits around longer than they should is surely saving them money. Both Honda & Toyota have made a science of "de-contenting" their vehicles, which can help explain why some systems/parts are kept in production waaaaay longer than we owners think they should be.

I believe all 2007-09 ES Nav systems are DVD based. The whole car does not need to be re designed in order to upgrade (or fix) the Nav system. Just a new DVD.

[RickC5]

I believe all 2007-09 ES Nav systems are DVD based. The whole car does not need to be re designed in order to upgrade (or fix) the Nav system. Just a new DVD.

True, our NAV systems use a DVD for upgrades--but only to the maps and perhaps some minor upgradeable software. A new DVD will NOT upgrade any of the hardware and I seriously doubt that the VR system is an upgradeable piece of software or someone would have figured out a way to change it already. AFAIK, that hasn't been done.

If we want an improved/upgraded NAV and/or VR system, we will have to wait until Toyota upgrades the hardware. BTW- Toyota has never been known to do a major system change/upgrade in-between major model changes (a new generation). Simply too expensive. Toyota does major model changes on a 6-year cycle, so the 2013 ES is due for one. Whether we will get a new & improved NAV system for 2013 remains to be seen.

[Wayne Carsen]

Did I read somewhere there is no 2012 but rather they are calling it a 2013?

[SW03ES]

The 2010-2012 has a different hard drive based nav system which is better than the old one. Personally? I think the nav system is great. VR sucks...but I never use that anyways. We have a built in Garmin system in the Jeep and we both dislike it.

The new Camry has a new infotainment system yes, as all new Toyotas/Lexus will.

Did I read somewhere there is no 2012 but rather they are calling it a 2013?

No, the 2012 is basically unchanged from the 2011, theres a special package, but thats it. 2013 will be a new model.

[RickC5]

The new Camry has a new infotainment system yes, as all new Toyotas/Lexus will.

GOOD! At least we will have something to look forward to! Have you tried the new one yet? If so, how's it different?

[SW03ES]

I've seen it, but not played with it yet. Its already in the new Prius, Prius v, and the new Camry. Its a neat unit, includes Pandora and i Heart Radio streaming, HD radio, as well as XM. Nav has a similar look but improved functionality. User interface is all new. I'll get to play with it when I go to the DC Auto Show later in Jan.