GPS navigators, hands-free or screens that work via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth have become some of the equipment that buyers usually repair when buying a new or second-hand car. Added to these are the parking aids that car manufacturers have perfected over the years. However, not all of these extras have the same potential.
There are different types of these parking systems, from those that are limited to alerting the driver with acoustic or visual signals of obstacles to those that carry out the necessary parking maneuvers for us. In any case, all these assistants are an important aid to driving, providing the driver with greater security and confidence and considerably facilitating the task of parking.
The most widespread assistants are those that allow the driver to calculate the distance between the sides of the vehicle with the columns, other cars or any other type of obstacle. These are basically systems that incorporate sound, light or camera alerts, or a combination of several or all of them.
One of the most frequent is the audible parking assistant. Thanks to its sensors at the rear of the car, this system allows the driver to remain attentive to the rear-view mirrors in case a pedestrian or cyclist approaches when reversing. Some models also incorporate sensors on the front of the vehicle.
Less popular are parking aids with lights. This model has an LED screen on which the car is usually represented with a series of indicators that base their operation on a color code. The signals will change from green to red as the car approaches an obstacle, forcing the driver to look at the screen. This is a system that has limitations, unless it is combined with acoustic alerts, although it is very useful for deaf people.
The cameras have been the last to be incorporated into these assistance systems. Whether you are alone in the rear or allow a perimeter view of the vehicle, these systems can be of great help, especially those more advanced, which show the lines of the trajectory according to the position of the wheels. Its main drawback is that it can distract us from the rest of the traffic.
This technology has continued to advance and systems that offer greater help can now be found on the market. This is the case of semi-automatic parking assistants, present in vehicles with both manual and automatic gearboxes. This system allows the driver to be warned that he is in front of an ideal space in which to park in parallel or in battery. From there, the driver can let go of the steering wheel and simply change gear or brake based on the assistant’s voice prompts.
On the other hand, there are the fully automatic assistants, the most sophisticated that are only available for some models with automatic transmission. Once activated, these assistants can do almost everything for the driver, except save them the time of looking for a parking space. The system tracks a hole in which the car fits and indicates with an alert that we stop and confirm the completion of the maneuver. voila! The assistant will park completely automatically and notify us when it has finished. Of course, the steering wheel must not be touched while it is in operation or it will be deactivated.