Wolfsburg, Germany - Frustrated when trying to manoeuvre your car into a narrow parking garage? Volkswagen engineers are coming out with a new version of the electronic Park Assist System that does the job for you without the risk of a single scratch or dent. Models such as the VW Touran, Tiguan and the new Passat CC can already be ordered with the semi-automatic Park Assist that steers the car into a parking space with the driver simply having to use the accelerator and brake.
The next generation of Park Assist also guides the car with millimetre precision into diagonal parking spaces such as those found especially at supermarkets.
The driver gets out, slams the door shut and, as he walks away from the car, he aims a remote control at it.
The car then proceeds to reverse park itself into the available space, independently switching off the engine and activating the door locks.
In another project the parking sensors not only monitor the front and rear of the vehicle but the 360-degree surroundings, such as those found in narrow underground parking garages.
Warnings signals on the car's navigator system warn the driver when they come too close to a pillar or another obstacle.
According to Volkswagen's Stefan Borsig, engineers are even working on a fully automatic "valet parking" assistance system.
All the driver would then have to do is to leave the car at the entrance of a car park with the electronics doing the rest and parking the car automatically.
