Sounds like the first thing to be switched off if I were ever to buy one. A bit like the growing collection of crap I have to switch off every time I reinstall Windows.

After screaming "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" a few times at it, I think attention in the form of some wire snippers may be required. Or remove the optical storage banks while in zero G. "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do."

They'll sell you a subscription service to not send you these voicemails. Now that's the money maker!

You know, adding a simple "ON-OFF" to the feature and a short menu of topics (like "restaurants", "gas stations", "malls", "car features", etc.) would turn this from a useful but intrusive feature into a "must have". My cell phone comes with a navigation feature that lets me find "things" based on location: I find this to be the second most useful application on the phone (after voice calls, ahead of SMS).

This could be a win-win for Toyota: the revenue stream from providing product placement for advertisers could be enhanced by improved targeting (you get to charge a whole lot more for adverts that actually generate a sale than the usual AM radio kind of "spam") and you convert an (annoyed) customer into a sales force with the "Hey, Bubba, watch this!" effect.

Someday someone will figure out this simple formula to use location-based services effectively. Until then we'll have to put up with sorting one more set of voice mails each morning before we have had our coffee...

"You seem to have parked on the Golden Gate Bridge, a well known suicide hotspot. Would you like me to connect a funeral director to arrange a pick up?"

"Your lease payment is due. Would you like directions to the bank"

"Your lease payment is overdue. Please wait for our collection agent at your location"

"Your lease payment is way overdue, executing self destruct sequence"

The list goes on...

if it just reported if you had an accident when you may not be able to but the sales stuff needs to go

Shame we don't a similar telematics system in the UK.

God help us if they see fit to break in over the in-car CD player with these 'service announcements' - I can see myself going back to the bicycle in *very* short order....and getting run down by someone rushing to the 50% sale on at PC World they've just heard about.

Bad idea - but be honest: you could see it coming...couldn't you?

Does it also come with the ability to listen in to conversations in the car as OnStar is reputed to do?

"You seem to be having an accident - shall I direct you to your nearest BUPA hospital?"

Its only Toyotas - who cares what they do to Toyotas

I bought a Toyota and raised hell when they tried to get me to sign a waiver to allow them to sell my personal information to "third parties." Eventually they agreed to let that slip, but then when I tried to register to view the loan details online, one of the terms of service was that they'd be allowed to sell my online habits as well.

I shudder at the thought of the spam I'd be getting from my damn car.