Ford lets cars find parking spots - New tech will slide vehicle into space without driver present

[kpete]

Ford lets cars find parking spots

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New technology will slide vehicle into space without driver present
Ford’s technology introduction is the latest example of one-upmanship among automakers, who are racing to create production-ready autonomous vehicles as early as the end of the decade. While several automakers already offer cars that can park themselves, some — including Ford and Volvo — are testing more advanced self-parking systems.

Here’s how Ford’s Fully Assisted Parking Aid works: Ultrasonic sensors can detect an open parallel, diagonal or perpendicular parking space ahead while a vehicle is traveling up to 18 miles per hour, with enough lead time that the driver doesn’t overshoot the space.

The driver can then brake, shift to neutral, and press and hold the Fully Assisted Parking Aid button in the car. At that point, parking-aid software will maneuver the vehicle into the parking space by taking control of the steering, forward and reverse motion, braking and guidance. Disengaging the button will override the parking process.

If the parking spot is really narrow — with little room to open the car door and exit — the driver can get out of the car and guide the whole parking process by remote control.

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From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131008/AUTO0102/310080019#ixzz2h9LBz4Dz

[NuclearDem]

1. Great, so my car's better at parallel parking than I am.

[Link Speed]

5. I never learned to parallel park

Never needed to, until the last few years.

The looks I get when I pull up beside a parking place, get out of the car and let GF park it are pretty entertaining. Our cars are too damned expensive to practice parking.

[NoOneMan]

2. This feeds starving children

Ah man, in our twilight, the shit we worry about blows my mind

[arcane1]

3. This reminds me of "WALL-E" for some reason

People are so pampered and clueless that they can no longer take care of themselves.

[Blue_Tires]

4. +1