Unparalleled parking

A new system designed to take the stress out of parallel parking has been developed by Ford.

The Active Park Assist system employs 10 ultrasonic sensors mounted in the sides of the vehicle and on the front and rear bumpers. The front side sensors constantly scan for gaps between cars parked at the side of the road, alerting the driver for a suitable space.

Retaining control of the accelerator and brake input and selecting first or reverse gears is all the driver needs to do. Steering input is provided by the electronic power steering system, which uses information from the sensors to help usher the vehicle into the parking space. Active Park Assist is available on new Focus, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX models.

The system comes following a survey, commissioned by Ford, which found that 32% of European drivers said they needed more than one attempt at parallel parking. Additionally, new drivers across Europe rated parallel parking as stressful as Christmas shopping and twice as stressful as a visit from the in-laws!

Kay Müller, Ford engineer, said: “Many drivers across Europe may be terrified by the idea of parallel parking but Ford’s Active Park Assist takes all the worry out of the manoeuvre.

“At the touch of a button, it enables you to park in the smallest of spaces while at the same time reducing the risk of accidental damage to your vehicle and those surrounding it. With Active Park Assist, every motorist stays in control and can still park perfectly.”

For more information contact Jay Ward Finn Thomasen on +44 (0) 1268 401908.