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Click above for a high-res shot of Active Park Assist in action

Admit it, you've embarrassed yourself at some point trying to parallel park. It's like they say about drivers at Indianapolis: There are those who have hit the wall, and those who will. The same principle applies when it comes to parallel parking. Like an increasing number of automakers, Ford is moving beyond the realm of auto-dip side mirrors and into the realm of auto parking systems. The Blue Oval's new Active Park Assist will initially be available on the Lincoln MKS and MKT (about which you'll hear much more on January 12) next summer.

The system takes advantage of the ultrasonic sensors now mounted on the corners of many vehicles (used for backup warning, blind spot detection and other functions), and combines them with a new electric power assisted steering setup. The system can manipulate the steering automatically and the sensors detect where the vehicle is relative to other vehicles. It starts off by using the sensors to measure the distance between cars to determine if there is enough space, and then it operates the steering, instructing the driver when to shift into Drive or Reverse and press the gas or brake. Ford claims the system works much more reliably than the camera-based system used by Lexus. We had no luck with the Lexus system, so we'll be the judge of how well Ford's setup works. Follow the jump to read Ford's official press release.

Gallery: Ford Active Park Assist


[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford automates parallel parking for Lincoln MKS, MKT

Ford automates parallel parking for Lincoln MKS, MKT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>active park assistActiveParkAssistfordLexuslincoln mkslincoln mktLincolnMksLincolnMktparallel parkparallel parkingParallelParkParallelParkingTue, 30 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1414021/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/12/30/embargo-12-30-08-12-01am-ford-automates-parallel-parking-for-l/1414021/article-detail.xml 1414021 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/12/ford-apa-1_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/12/ford-apa-1.png <![CDATA[VIDEO: BMW parks itself sans driver]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/11/video-bmw-parks-itself-sans-driver/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/11/video-bmw-parks-itself-sans-driver/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/11/video-bmw-parks-itself-sans-driver/#commentsFiled under: , ,



BMW unveiled a new system this week in Munich that enables a car to park itself without driver involvement. The remote parking-assist technology uses off-the-shelf technology already in use on many BMW vehicles, including sensors like those that measure distance and alert the driver when the vehicle approaches an object too closely. This system requires the installation of a reflective tape on the wall directly ahead of the vehicle's parking spot that enables the system to coordinate its position.

The video shows the driver exiting the car after he's positioned it outside his garage and simply pressing a button on a key fob. The BMW then retracts its outside mirrors and begins to inch forward into the tight spot between another car and a wall.

BMW says the technology should be available on production vehicles within three years. It's a pretty neat trick, but we doubt any BMW owner would ever hit the button and just walk in his house. Would you trust the people who gave us the iDrive to park your $50,000 sedan without supervision? Chances are it'd get lost on the way to the garage.

[Source: YouTube via Wired]

VIDEO: BMW parks itself sans driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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