Can no longer browse USB Music folders

[jcavila]

In my family we have owned 2007 LS, 2008 LS, 2013 LS, 2014 ES, 2016 LS. Every car had Mark Levinson system. We have always had the ability to browse folders, artists, songs, etc when driving. Father purchased 2018 LS500. Just made the grisly discovery that files can no longer be browsed while car is moving. If you attempt to select folder, artists, etc a message pops up on the screen saying please wait and then just starts the drive back to what it thinks is the first song on the drive. If car is stopped you can see items in each folder. The moment the car moves everything grays out and is no longer accessible. This is awful! I use a 128gb usb drive with a variety of music. Do they expect us to pull over every time we want to search/select a new album? I am so disappointed in Lexus for doing this. I have a 2013 LS F Sport. I was thinking about upgrading to the new design but I don't think I can live with this feature missing. What were they thinking?! Is anyone else having this experience?

 

[RAL]

Welcome @jcavila

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Yes, this is correct; the 10th-gen infotainment no longer allows browsing USB or iPod/iPhone/iPad content while the car is moving (you can use track up/down on the steering wheel to your heart's content, of course). My guess is that someone was in an accident while using that function (or had family killed when the other driver was using that) and sued Toyota/Lexus about it.

It is inconvenient if you're used to the old way, but it's also much safer to lock it out. There is no way to drive safely even at moderate speeds while sifting through that listing, and absolutely not at highway speeds.

That all said, LE sponsor BeatSonic has made defeat devices for these kinds of lockouts in the past and probably will for this in the future.