New Toyota Helps You Yell At the Kids

An anonymous reader writes If you're tired of yelling at the kids without the help of technology, Toyota has a van for you. From the article: "The latest version of the company's Sienna minivan has a feature called 'Driver Easy Speak.' It uses a built-in microphone to amplify a parent's voice through speakers in the back seats. Toyota says it added Easy Speak 'so parents don't have to shout to passengers in the back.' But chances are many parents will yell into the microphone anyway. And the feature only works one way, so the kids can't talk back. At least not with amplified voices. The feature is an option on the 2015 Sienna, which is being refreshed with a totally new interior. It also has an optional 'pull-down conversation mirror' that lets drivers check on kids without turning around."

Moms have been doing this for years.

[axl917]

> ...'pull-down conversation mirror' that lets drivers check on kids without turning around."

Back in the 70's, those mysterious "eyes in the back of the head" that'd always catch you when you were about to yank your sister's pigtails.

*Facepalm*

[RogueWarrior65]

This ranks right up there with the dedicated chicken nuggets button on some ovens.

Old is new

[djupedal]

My Aunt had a car back in the '50s that had a speed alert buzzer - she'd set it and teld the kids the car could tell when someone was misbehaving - whenever the kids in the back seat started in on each other she'd speed up so it went off. Spooky car that one...

Darth Vader

[Roger W Moore]

A Darth Vader voice would be more fun for misbehaving kids:

"I find your lack of behaviour disturbing"

"I am your father"

"That was before you misbehaved, now I am altering the deal...pray I do not alter it any further."

"I hope so for your sake, your mother is not as forgiving as I am”

Re:Another high point is achieved ...

[Rambo Tribble]

Which is precisely why I advocate the use of shock collars. The rest of this stuff is just sissy nonsense.