VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford
VAIL Autonomous valet parking demo -- Click above to view the video after the jump
You didn't think having an Audi TTS climb Pike's Peak was the only thing that Stanford's Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory was working on, did you? No, they're also working on something closer to home -- or the restaurant or club -- with a project to get cars to find spots and park themselves.
A "mostly stock" VW Passat wagon equipped with some computer gear in the trunk and -- paging Dr. Evil -- lasers. The extra bits are off-the-shelf (or some shelf, at least), and one write-up says that VW's computers could control the car without Stanford's added electronics package.
The caveats are that right now the car can't detect obstacles like people, and it needs a detailed map of the parking lot where it's trying to find a spot. Details, details. For now, follow the jump to enjoy another glimpse at one possible future, brought to you by VAIL.
[Source: Bot Junkie]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
groundZ 6:46PM (10/27/2009)
That's beyond amazing.
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zamafir 6:51PM (10/27/2009)
"The caveats are that right now the car can't detect obstacles like people, and it needs a detailed map "
so... exactly where vw was two years ago?
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/17/video-vws-autonomous-53-1-kicking-ass-on-autocross-course/
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The Hit 12:51AM (10/28/2009)
People....always getting in the way...
Joey Mazz 7:14PM (10/27/2009)
This is even dumber than a self parallel parking Lexus. For God's sake, how lazy are people? Park the car yourself or pay the valet kid 5 bucks.
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The Hit 12:51AM (10/28/2009)
I'm surprised you used a computer to comment on this instead of writing it on a piece of paper and mail it in to Autoblog...I mean how lazy is that?
gr8bsn 9:36PM (10/28/2009)
Apples and oranges. Parking a car is a pretty basic skill. If you can't park, you probably shouldn't even have a license. Definitely not a feature I'm willing to pay for and if all cars had this built in, it's the first fuse I'd pull out.
Tourian A5 7:59PM (10/27/2009)
So VW actually is shooting for what they say here: www.volkswagen2028.com/
That is awesome, actual innovation.
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cloudstrifemfx 8:02PM (10/27/2009)
ok... I see the proof of concept... But what practicality will this see?
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The Hit 12:51AM (10/28/2009)
Um...getting people to spend more time shopping?
MKIV 9:57PM (10/27/2009)
meh
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Pengwin 1:51AM (10/28/2009)
+1
Pengwin 1:52AM (10/28/2009)
pretty useless, how about they work on getting us a V12 TDI R8.
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charstephens2 8:52PM (10/28/2009)
You can see, in the very beginning of the video, that one of the guys crossing the parking lot has a remote control in his hand... he runs ahead of the car and you can catch a glimpse of him controlling the car.
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gr8bsn 9:34PM (10/28/2009)
And I need to fork out extra money for a car that parks itself....why??????
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ctf2222 10:27PM (10/28/2009)
because you hate parking yourself, and the space in the back of your car to put things you like even less.
JoJo 10:09PM (10/28/2009)
So if the car parks itself in the first available spot it finds how do you find your car when you're done shopping?
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Arshes2005 1:56AM (10/29/2009)
I wish I could vote your comment up twice. That was the first thing I thought... "How do I find it afterward?"
marie 12:08AM (10/29/2009)
I was thinking yesterday the old station wagon are not around any more they are great when you have . kids ball teams or dont let teens drive they see how many kids they can pack in it. the worse is one boy and one girl if the in side is made like old ones who care if it can park itslef my boys would had a great time with that .my you will hear about 15 years latter bragging to your friends what they did in the day .and you think that kid was not mine . marie my baby boy is 29 been their in 71 had a bug now I have 2006 diesel vwbeatle bug 50 miles to a gallon oil change every 10000 miles i love it marie
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gr8bsn 5:13AM (10/29/2009)
?
marie 10:49AM (10/29/2009)
the car looks like a shape of a car called station wagon my friend had a red one that color was to much I LOVE red yellow in most cars I think that car looks great lot of room see cars when they pass no blind spots not as big as the older station wagon a plus it can park but when you back up and behind you some one els at the same time backing out will it let you now I have seen that 3 times I DID THAT ONCE . NO ONE IS PERFECT WILL THIS CAR BE PERFECT BEST TO SAY ABOUT THIS ONE IS ? ?