Self parking cars.

[Chippy_Tea]

I have been in a car with park assist (basically you drive it slowly and it steers for you) but this is taking it to a whole new level -


Remote Smart Park Assist allows owners to park and retrieve their car from the tightest of parking spaces from outside the vehicle, a very convenient feature. Before a driver attempts to load passengers or luggage, the remote parking function can prove particularly useful, bringing the vehicle out of a tight space. The driver simply uses the smart key to drive the SUV forward or backward, into or out of a parking space, garage or any tight parking situation.

 

[Skello]

My beemer can do that of sorts, parking is fully automated as is the pulling out from a parked position. I know there is an option on the 7 series that does everything automatically from outside the car using the smart key (like that Tuscon). I just have the lowly park assist plus on mine haha. The self parking never gets old though, I love watching people’s faces as I put my hands behind my head and let the car park itself!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I bet its nerve racking the first time you do it from outside the car with the remote, one thing i noticed you may get your car into a space you wouldn't normally get into as obviously you need room to get out but if you park like this the person next to you isnt going to be able to get into their car unless they have the same system.

 

[nixhaz]

Got one of those for the caravan!

 

[Skello]

It is certainly squeaky bum hole time the first few goes. I find it’s brilliant in those car parks with tiny spaces at airports and some supermarkets, or for parallel parking on the street.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Got one of those for the caravan!

I have seen them, makes easy work of it.

 

[jeg3]

It's like all other driving assist systems. The first time I drove my old car with adaptive cruise control, which with an auto box controls the car to a complete stop, it was nerve wracking and actually I bottled it and braked myself.

Pre-COVID I used to use adaptive cruise all the time it's a godsend. I don't necessarily get the need for self parking. I lived with on street parking for 10 years and could get into the tightest of spaces with ease. I wouldn't spec it on a car but if it came with it I'd happily try it out!

Can understand why people would like it though.

 

[jeg3]

I have seen them, makes easy work of it.

Especially when you're pitched on a side slope and need to level under one wheel. Impossible without a mover unless you're an expert reverser with the car, which I'm not!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Can understand why people would like it though.

Some people are just hopeless at parking (no sexist comments please) you only need to look round your local supermarket car park to see many examples, i consider myself good at parking as i drive all day every day so parking is part of the job.

 

[jeg3]

Some people are just hopeless at parking (no sexist comments please) you only need to look round your local supermarket car park to see many examples, i consider myself good at parking as i drive all day every day so parking is part of the job.

There's a difference though between hopeless, which self parking can help with, and selfish, where there is no hope (still hopeless!) and self parking cannot help with

 

[Chippy_Tea]

There's a difference though between hopeless, which self parking can help with, and selfish,

I agree those that don't even try and just abandon cars especially in two places are infuriating.

I saw something on either TV or YouTube a while ago where people (usually young lads) were parking cars in two spaces on pay and display car parks people were going mad but it turned out they were paying for two places to stop ignorant people damaging their pride and joy (hitting it with car doors, trolleys etc)

 

[jeg3]

Imagine trying to do that in 20 years time ... the car would eject you out of the self opening/closing door so it could park itself properly!

 

[Rodcx500z]

If you cant park in a bay or parallel park you should not get a licence

 

[Manners]

Apparently I have park assist on both of my cars but have never used it because....*shock horror*..... I can park. Anyone who cant park shouldnt be in charge of a couple of tons of motor.

I do like the adaptive cruise control auto pilot which matches the speed of the vehicle in front and steers for you. After all you need two hands to eat your double sausage and egg mcmuffin.....!

(This was a joke, I never do not have full control of my vehicle and would never condone such behaviour... everyone knows its easy to eat a mcmuffin with one hand. If you cant, thats evolution at work. say goodbye to the chance of tiny handed ancestors because you starved by missing out on McDs breakfast of fat champions with big hands )

 

[Graz]

Got one of those for the caravan!

I was going to say that, have one on mine. It's quite fun driving a caravan around with a remote control

Also bought a second hand Kia Sorento (tow car) just over a year ago which by luck happened to be a top of the range model with all the bells and whistles. That does automatic parallel parking. Have yet to try it. Been driving so infrequently since Covid and then need to parallel park is very infrequent. I'll give it a go one day. It's easy on that thing anyway as it has a reversing camera, also very handy when hitching up the caravan.

 

[Crappyfish]

Some people are just hopeless at parking (no sexist comments please) you only need to look round your local supermarket car park to see many examples, i consider myself good at parking as i drive all day every day so parking is part of the job.

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Wonder if they will invent inconsiderate self parking where a button can be pressed and it parks right next to the other cars drivers door in an empty car park.

 

[531Man]

My beemer can do that of sorts, parking is fully automated as is the pulling out from a parked position. I know there is an option on the 7 series that does everything automatically. The self parking never gets old though, I love watching people’s faces as I put my hands behind my head and let the car park itself!

I had a Morris Marina in '78 that could do all that and more.
Automatic pulling out into busy traffic; special suspension, wheels and tyres that could mount curbs at any speed;
Bumper to bumper parking in spaces that were initially too small.
Engine and transmission that never needed an oil change or service from new to end-of-life.
It was called, "a rep's car".
Drove the fleet manager to distraction, mind.
And you needed both hands free on the motorway so you could fill in your expenses claim sheet.

 

[Nidger]

A bloke i recently worked with has a Tesla.
Says he presses a button and his garage door opens, car drives out and warms up ready for him.

He reckons it learns routes and will raise suspension for a speed bump for instance, and will drive itself to say his work destination.
Although he's just retired lol and I don't think it's legal to use yet in UK.

For 120 grand I'd expect all that and make the effing dinner etc.
And where's the fun in it all ffs ?

As for caravans with motor movers
The times I've pulled on a site and had to wait for someone who's blocked the way, unhitched and spent an eternity motor moving his van on, then gave me strange looks as my mover equipped van is backed straight on using the car
Thank god I have a permanent pitch now

 

[damienair]

I would never use automatic parking assist to get a car into a tight space. The people in the cars parked beside you would struggle to get into their cars afterwards. Resulting in a fit of rage where they purposely bang their door off your lovely shiney new car or just bang their door any way off your car as there is no other option. I go out of my way to park my car at the far end of the car park where no one else goes. Loads of free large parking spaces. Most dents, bangs, scrapes and small accidents take place in busy car parks, especially in the busy sections close to the front door.

 

[Graz]

As for caravans with motor movers
The times I've pulled on a site and had to wait for someone who's blocked the way, unhitched and spent an eternity motor moving his van on, then gave me strange looks as my mover equipped van is backed straight on using the car
Thank god I have a permanent pitch now

I do try not to use ours where possible, where ever I can I try to reverse on and can usually get it roughly where I want it. I then use the mover to tweak it if needs be and line up the wheel for the wheel lock. It's handy to have though in case of getting stuck in some tight spot somewhere. We also keep our caravan at a storage yard where it has to be backed into a relatively tight space. Sometimes after a long trip my reversing mojo has gone out the window for some reason or another so I give up and use the motor mover having tried a few times and failed

As a relative newbie to caravanning I could do with more practise but its not that easy to do that so unfortunately most of my reversing is done when it needs to be.