New 2021 IS300h F-Sport just about perfect: A missing HUD solution

[hieronymous]

Here in Auckland NZ, I picked up my new IS 300h F-Sport at the end of June, coming from 9 years with first a Prius C, then a Prius PHV. What I was looking for was a better Prius, and my expectations have been fully realised, exceeded in some respects. The new driving experience is completely familiar, a Toyota hybrid through and through, but with class! Also with some surprises - on my first 2 days I drove a 50km (50kph limit) city loop in flowing traffic, then a 100km motorway loop at 90kph (actual) using radar cruise control (100kph limit); these returned economy numbers of 4.2L/100km (67mph) and 4.6L/100km (61mph) respectively. I was blown away by just how efficient this model is, and am really looking forward to our summer to start on the long distance trips I am planning, for which I bought the car.

The single limitation for me is the lack of a HUD, but I was confident I could get around that, so the included screenshots show what I have come up with. Toyota appears to have standardised its hybrid models' CPU design, such that access to the Parameter ID's (pids) for one model gives access to the others - I am very familiar with using these for Prius's.

The android app here is Torque Pro, and it comes with a set of pids for the Prius Gen3, which appear to be fully applicable to the IS - there are more than 300 pids, and a cursory scan suggests they all produce data. In addition, TP incorporates some universal pids (open source) which manufacturers can choose to use (or not). The pids in the screenshots are a mix, some of which are immediately usable, also a few requiring a little fine tuning to match the numbers on the IS dash. I also created a few "virtual" pids, that only exist in the TP ram cache on the phone while running, such as one to store the fuel price.

So here are 2 dashboard screens from my HUD;  now my IS 300h F-Sport is perfect!

 

[ColinBarber]

What device are you using for a HUD?

[Mincey]

35 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

What device are you using for a HUD?

+1 - this looks interesting.

[hieronymous]

@ColinBarber and @Mincey, so this is using Torque Pro, an Android-only phone app. I bought a large, cheap'ish Samsung A02s with a 6.4" screen, wifi only as I just wanted the display.

TP will run on other brands, but Samsung is recommended by TP's developer.

Of course, you need an OBD port Bluetooth scanner to pair with the phone - lots of cheapy's out there (some work), I have bought 4 VGate units over the last 8 years, all good. See the TP PlayStore listing/notes.

There used to be a free TP Lite to check for compatibility, might still be there..

Edited August 12, 2021 by hieronymous
info correction.

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

What device are you using for a HUD?

The screens seems to be from Torque app. 

[Phil xxkr]

48 minutes ago, Mincey said:

+1 - this looks interesting.

Reading into colin/James this is two components, a small OBD reader that plugs into the car port, and an app (Torque) for your phone that connects to the reader via Bluetooth so all the data displays on the phone so not a HUD per se unless another projection device is involved 🤔

[Mincey]

12 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

Reading into colin/James this is two components, a small OBD reader that plugs into the car port, and an app (Torque) for your phone that connects to the reader via Bluetooth so all the data displays on the phone so not a HUD per se unless another projection device is involved 🤔

Ah ok. Similar to Hybrid Assistant then.

[hieronymous]

10 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

Reading into colin/James this is two components, a small OBD reader that plugs into the car port, and an app (Torque) for your phone that connects to the reader via Bluetooth so all the data displays on the phone so not a HUD per se unless another projection device is involved 🤔

And TP has a HUD mode, will a pseudo HUD do?

[Linas.P]

6 minutes ago, hieronymous said:

And TP has a HUD mode, will a pseudo HUD do?

I guess HUD mode mirrors the screen left-to-right, so when you get reflection off the windscreen it looks right way around?

[Phil xxkr]

21 minutes ago, hieronymous said:

And TP has a HUD mode, will a pseudo HUD do?

Don't you just love a TLA in your life? 😊

[hieronymous]

19 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

Don't you just love a TLA in your life? 😊

Unnecesary, I'm never wrong 😷😇

[steve2006]

I think technology has finally overtaken my knowledge......the days of oiling a seized up speedometer drive cable have long gone 😀

[dublet]

There are aftermarket universal HUDs, something like this looks like what you want:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-Interface-OverSpeed-Measurement-Temperature/dp/B07PWDNNLB/r

There's a longer list here: https://www.autoguide.com/top-10-best-head-up-displays-for-cars

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, hieronymous said:

Unnecesary, I'm never wrong 😷😇

🙋"What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious" Cicero 🙆

[Mincey]

2 hours ago, dublet said:

There are aftermarket universal HUDs, something like this looks like what you want:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-Interface-OverSpeed-Measurement-Temperature/dp/B07PWDNNLB/r

There's a longer list here: https://www.autoguide.com/top-10-best-head-up-displays-for-cars

Added to amazon wishlist! I have to say that I found the HUD in the Peugeot 3008 which my current wife had a few years ago bloody marvellous. I feel the need for one of these devices....

[ColinBarber]

9 hours ago, dublet said:

There are aftermarket universal HUDs, something like this looks like what you want

The in-build OEM HUDs are actually quite sophisticated and need a special windscreen so I've wondered how we these 3rd party units work, and many get mixed reviews. Hence my question about what device but it seems hieronymous isn't actually using a projector device.

[dublet]

I would assume they just rely on the bright light and the refractive index of the windscreen glass.

[ColinBarber]

32 minutes ago, dublet said:

I would assume they just rely on the bright light and the refractive index of the windscreen glass.

That's correct, which is why they don't work that well and the larger the image the more potential for a double image without a special windscreen.

[dublet]

Oh look

 

[hieronymous]

After-market HUDs are minimal functionally, and have fixed layouts. Torque Pro is a bit geeky, but it’s capability is enormous if your school-level maths is up to managing standard equations.

TP comes with the Prius Gen3 pid set(below) - not saying the contained pids are all functional with the IS except for the small selection I’ve used, but they are all there for testing...

exportedPIDs.csv

[route66]

My biggest worry with this would be the Battery drain with the OBD reader that plugs into the car port.

Do you remove this when not in use or is it not an issue?

[Superduner]

2 hours ago, route66 said:

My biggest worry with this would be the battery drain with the OBD reader that plugs into the car port.

Do you remove this when not in use or is it not an issue?

For me it's not been an issue to leave it in.  Current drain seems to be minimal (but ask the manufacturer anyway)

[hieronymous]

3 hours ago, route66 said:

My biggest worry with this would be the battery drain with the OBD reader that plugs into the car port.

Do you remove this when not in use or is it not an issue?

The VGate adapters I have (and others) reliably turn off after 30 minutes, never had a problem leaving them connected, in 2 Prius's, Kona EV, and now in the IS, over 8 years. I also have Battery monitors (BM12v) on both Kona and IS, no evidence of any drain...