Have you ever driven around a car park looking for the space that’s on its own, where you can drive in and drive out, no need for reversing or parallel parking? Well if you’re like me and would prefer to walk a mile than have to reverse, a car that parks itself could quite simply change your life.
A car that parks itself? Really, I hear you asking how can a car park itself? Well put simply the on board computer takes over your car and with a little help from you, will park you in and drive you out of the smallest spaces you would never imagine you could squeeze your car into!
It’s simple really, you park up alongside the car you wish to park behind, the car emits a signal to tell you when to stop moving forward, you put the car into reverse, slowly release the brake and the car will start to move backwards without you having to do anything more. A power steering system takes over your driving wheel, positioning your car’s wheels to the right angle and reverses right into the space. The in-built sensors tell your car when it’s close enough to the car behind by emitting another sound which tells you to apply the brakes. You put your car back into gear and the car moves forward by taking over the steering wheel once again and hey presto you are miraculously parked.
This latest technology is being pushed by some of the largest car manufacturers as consumers needs grow. However Ford have now gone one step further with their latest technology called The Fully Assisted Parking Aid which allows the driver to exit the car before parking itself.
If you are a seasoned traveller and see airport car parks far too often, a visit to Dusseldorf airport for a parking experience like no other, is an absolute must. If you’re running late for your flight where minutes become time critical, ‘Ray’ can help ease your stress and park your car for you.
‘Ray’ is a parking-valet robot currently employed at Dusseldorf airport but if proven to be a success he may just turn up at an airport near you. Ray is a robotic fork-lift system who automatically slides under your vehicle, lifting it up and taking it to one of the allocated spaces in the airport. Travellers pull onto a designated platform where the car is measured. Confirmation the car is empty is completed through a key pad and the rest is then left to ‘Ray’. On arriving back to the airport travellers are duly delivered their car through as the flight data system confirms when you have landed.
If you are thinking about upgrading your car to take advantage of the latest modern technology, visit a car dealership like L&L Automotive who will be able to show you a range of makes and models to suit your needs.