Given that our cars spend 95% of the time parked and spend an average of just an hour on the road, properly parking the vehicle is an important issue. Many vehicle owners struggle with parking, especially then , when there are narrow parking spaces and maneuvers are deep that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The look in the rear view mirror Even the most experienced driver is often no longer satisfied. Fortunately, thanks to smart technologies, parking aids are available to us to master this challenge.
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Advantages of a parking assistant
The driver assistance system helps to make parking easier and warns of obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle. It's so useful because it can avoid the disproportionate effort and expense that comes with a scuffed or punctured car tire. This also saves you from having to increase your insurance premiums, which could have been avoided. With high traffic density in the city center at the weekend, for example, it can reduce some of the stress that arises when thinking about tight parking spaces – because maneuvers are registered even in poor lighting at night or at dusk. In addition to safety, this also increases comfort.
What types of parking aids are there? Passive and active parking systems
The parking aid is available in different versions, on the one hand as a passive parking assistant, which is the precursor to the active parking assistant. The former work with distinctive landmarks that make it easier to recognize the vehicle's position and obstacles. In the 1950s, curb sensors were used, so-called curb feelers, which made a scraping noise when they came into contact with the curb, signaling that the car had to be moved. Over time, this type of system was replaced by active parking assistance, which works electronically and is mainly found in newer models.
Ultrasound and radar-based systems
The conventional parking aid today operates with ultrasound, which is emitted via parking sensors. The parking aid can be located at the front, but the parking sensors can also be located at the rear, depending on the vehicle's equipment, and are usually mounted in the bumpers. The higher the number of integrated sensors, the better the measurement performance. In addition to the systems that work based on ultrasound, there are radar-based systems. The difference is that to measure the distance between the car and the obstacle, radar signals are evaluated will. This is primarily advantageous for retrofitting a parking distance control, since no ultrasonic sensors are required on the bumpers, the installation of which, as already mentioned, would cause increased costs and work. Both work according to the same basic principle: They forward the signals reflected by the obstacles to the control system as information and alert the vehicle owner to maneuvers. If you approach an obstacle, warning signals are generated, which sound at shorter and shorter intervals the closer you get to the car. In addition, many systems also have an integrated graphic display that shows both the vehicle and obstacles. On the other hand, cameras that are attached to some parts of the car, but mostly at the rear, are more likely to be found in older systems. They give the driver the opportunity to assess the distances themselves by mapping the real environment. Their advantage is that they register low-lying obstacles that the sensors cannot detect. Today, the reversing cameras are often integrated together with a classic parking system, which enables optical-acoustic support.
Self-steering parking systems
There are now even systems on the market that completely take over the steering when parking using an electromechanical power steering. The sensors register parking spaces that are large enough to park the vehicle safely and can then be selected. The drivers now only have to take the starting position assigned by the system and operate the accelerator and brake independently, because only the steering operations are taken over automatically. This allows you to maintain control of the vehicle while making it much easier to enter the gap. The automated process can also be interrupted at any time by intervening yourself, since the power steering only works when needed. The self-steering parking assistants, park steering assistants for short, are often offered in combination with camera systems so that the driver can watch the rear area on the car's screen.
Retrofit parking aids – how best?
A parking assistant is already integrated in many newer production models of the luxury class. If this is not the case, the parking aid can also be retrofitted. However, this requires some effort, so that when buying a car you should pay attention to the appropriate equipment. This is available from many manufacturers for an additional charge. In this way, the vehicle value can also be increased in an uncomplicated way when it is later sold. For older models that do not have such a system, wireless parking aids are suitable for retrofitting, the sensors of which transmit the signals wirelessly. With the license plate holder system the Fensens brand, for example, even the mobile phone can function as a display via a Bluetooth connection. The effort that cabling would entail is avoided in this way. Otherwise, the sensors would have to be installed manually on the vehicle; a task that is often undertaken by professionals to avoid improper work.
What was previously only possible with helping passengers now works on our own: driver assistance systems enable us to park properly and with little risk, even in the tightest parking spaces. A subsequent purchase is particularly worthwhile for city drivers who drive in confined spaces every day. A large number of parking assistants are available on the market, which differ from one another in particular in terms of the technology on which they are based. A combination of visual and acoustic warning signals is ideal. Inexperienced drivers can also buy a parking aid to protect themselves and minimize stressful situations. The self-steering variant is suitable for those who break a sweat just thinking about backing up. In wintry weather conditions, you should also ensure that the sensors are not covered with ice, dirt or snow. Despite the security that the system offers, the obligatory look over the shoulder must not be forgotten! In the end everyone is responsible for themselves.