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Transportation Technology

Ford Showcases Self-Parking Car Technology 233

MojoKid writes "Although the dream of roads full of driverless cars is a ways off, several companies such as Tesla and Google are taking steps toward that goal by developing self-driving car technology. Ford is now also demonstrating self-parking technology called Fully Assisted Parking Aid that will actually help a driver locate a spot and then make the car automatically park itself--without the driver inside. Indeed, you'll be able to hop out of the car and use a smartphone app to tell your car to park itself. This is ideal for both parking in tight spaces (i.e., you don't have to squeeze your way out of your vehicle while trying not to bang the next car's door) and for those who are just terrible at parking to begin with."
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Ford Showcases Self-Parking Car Technology

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  • by CurryCamel ( 2265886 ) on Thursday October 10, 2013 @03:06AM (#45088919) Journal

    or FAP-Aid for short?

    • by mcgrew ( 92797 ) * on Thursday October 10, 2013 @12:37PM (#45093127) Homepage Journal

      This is just an incrimental improvement; Ford has had self-parking cars for years. I know a guy who has one. What's new is you can get out and tell it to park with your phone. I guess what Bill has is partially assisted parking? But he doesn't touch the wheel or pedals when it's parking itself.

      Much more interesting is the object avoidance, which is afaik is completely new. It warns you if you're going to hit something, and if you ignore it it will brake and take over steering. Too bad this lady [sj-r.com] didn't have it. Or this guy [sj-r.com] (does Ford make semis?)

  • Not really new (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 ) on Thursday October 10, 2013 @03:39AM (#45089005)

    I was in the passenger seat of a high-end BMW the other day that did exactly that: the driver drove slowly along the row of parked cars until the car beeped, then he let go of the steering wheel, reversed and let the car park itself. Quite amazing really...

    • What's new is that the driver doesn't need to be in the car with his foot on the accelerator. I always assumed the only reason this hadn't been done already was that legally a human has to be in control of the vehicle, but perhaps with the looming prospect of fully autonomous vehicles some regulations have been relaxed.
    • I was in the passenger seat of a high-end BMW the other day that did exactly that: the driver drove slowly along the row of parked cars until the car beeped, then he let go of the steering wheel, reversed and let the car park itself. Quite amazing really...

      Over here we get that in a Ford Focus, etc.

  • by wjh31 ( 1372867 ) on Thursday October 10, 2013 @03:42AM (#45089015) Homepage
    I dont know about other countries, but in the UK maneuvers such as reverse and parallel parking can be part of the test, i wonder what the stance is if you have a car capable of doing it for you in the test? Maybe not too common now, but in the future... For that matter how about self driving cars in general, at what point do you stop needing a license in order to 'operate' it one operation becomes merely telling it where to go.
    • by Chrisq ( 894406 )

      I wonder what the stance is if you have a car capable of doing it for you in the test? Maybe not too common now, but in the future..

      You have this now, Even thirty years ago when I took my test, when most of us had to hone clutch control for the slow manoeuvres like the three point turn and reversing round the corner , a friend of mine took hist test in a Land Rover and just engaged low ratio. Now my car has hill-start assist, turns the wipers on when it rains, the lights on when it gets dark - many will parallel park - all things that could make the difference between a pass and a fail. Oh and an emergency stop in the wet required more

      • by Smauler ( 915644 )

        Oh and an emergency stop in the wet required more judgement before ABS.

        My class 1 license test (for everyone abroad, that's the biggest trucks you can drive on UK roads) I screwed up my emergency stop... I forgot to drop the clutch. Stalled the truck, stopped. He gave me a minor for it, and I passed.

        Also... most of the trailers I use have ABS. A little while ago, driving up the A1, a van in front of me dropped a couple of wheelbarrows on the carriageway. I stopped quickly, needless to say, and thoug

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by aiadot ( 3055455 )
      I'm not sure how it works on other countries, but here in Japan there are two types of licenses for "normal" vehicles. One for auto transmission and the other for manual transmission. If you have only an AT license you can only drive AT cars. If you have a MT license you can drive both.

      Similarly, in the future, I believe there will be multiple types of licenses based on the level of automation you want your car to have. If you have a license for fully automatic cars, you may only drive those. If your lic
      • Actually not just in Japan. You definitely need different licenses to drive a truck and a motorcycle. I see self-parking to fully autonomous vehicles being treated as totally different categories of vehicles.

        You don't need fancy biometrics to enforce the system. Right now our driving license system is mostly enforced by the honor system and the medium threat of getting pulled over by a police officer. Even now you can theoretically drive a truck without a license, just don't do something that makes you sta

      • by DrXym ( 126579 )
        Same deal in the UK. Drive an automatic and you get a licence that only covers automatics. Most people however take the manual test which covers both manual and automatic. As an aside, car rental companies must laugh their asses off when Americans rent vehicles in Europe since they get to slap an enormous premium on the automatic models.
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) *

      Well you can get an automatic transmission only license already, so I think in the future it isn't hard to imagine people getting "self parking only" licenses.

  • 2008 called (Score:4, Informative)

    by jmke ( 776334 ) on Thursday October 10, 2013 @03:46AM (#45089031) Homepage Journal
    Audi has this already for quite a few years ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAeel-JmZVg [youtube.com]
  • This is ideal for both parking in tight spaces (i.e., you don't have to squeeze your way out of your vehicle while trying not to bang the next car's door)

    So you can expect to come back to the car park and find your car boxed in by one of these parked each side six inches from your car. I've had this done to me manually occasionally (one parking forward and one reverse so both drivers' doors face away) and it's very annoying.

    • So you can expect to come back to the car park and find your car boxed in by one of these parked each side six inches from your car.

      If I come back and see you've done that to me then your door's getting banged up.

      So much for this technology saving you from dents and scratches...

    • by Smauler ( 915644 )

      I've had this happen to me manually too - if the guy on your passenger side backs in, you can't get into the car at all. It doesn't help my car is a 2 door... one of the big disadvantages of 2 door cars is that their doors are a lot longer, so you need more space to get out.

      I have in the past a couple of times leant in, got the handbrake off, and pushed my car out of a tight spot.

  • Don't know about your area but around here it is illegal to leave a running vehicle unoccupied.

    • Wouldn't that make the already-common remote ignition feature illegal?

      I know that this is a pretty wild concept, but maybe, just maybe, it would be possible to change such laws if this sort of feature becomes common.

      • Wouldn't that make the already-common remote ignition feature illegal?

        Yes, which is why it's not already-common in those countries where it is illegal (like the UK AFAIK).

        I know that this is a pretty wild concept, but maybe, just maybe, it would be possible to change such laws if this sort of feature becomes common.

        I think you might have that part backwards.

        • I think you might have that part backwards.

          Well, evidently not, if we are to take remote ignition as an example -- the feature is widespread already, and the laws are lagging behind.

  • Seems that competitors already developed similar technology, which can stop WW2 as an extra...

    http://vimeo.com/72718945 [vimeo.com]

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Thursday October 10, 2013 @04:39AM (#45089217)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • I have a Ford Fusion that has the Assisted Parking Technology. The driver has to remain in the car, shift gears, and hit the gas and brake pedals. The new system takes care of all of that.

  • VW has had that feature for years. Their 2.0 version also has bay parking. http://applefansite.com/2013/04/the-new-golf-parking-sensors/ [applefansite.com]
  • Heh, "Ford FAP-Aid". That'll be popular...

  • Why should I need a smartphone to park my car? All the necessary electronics are BUILT INTO THE CAR. It comes with a tiny remote control built into the key or fob. Put the button to park the car on the fob.

  • It can avoid the currently-open handicap spot? Reserved parking areas? Permit parking?
  • Now can I get this for my motorcycle?

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