Cars That Can Drop You Off And Park Themselves Are In Testing

We already have cars that can manoeuvre into and out of parking spaces on their own, but the generation in testing right now is on a whole new level...

Matt Kimberley

16 Apr 2018

Cars That Can Drop You Off And Park Themselves Are In Testing

If you have a distaste for dealing with car parks, especially multi-storey types, the Volkswagen Group is developing a solution you should love. The company is testing a solution that would let you leave your car at the car park entrance and let it park itself.

A simple new system of signs and maps works with the car’s in-built sensors and cameras to effectively create a car that can roll away and find a space unaided. Right now, Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi test cars are doing exactly that at Hamburg Airport.

Notice the guidance signs on the overhead beams

It works by placing ‘simple pictorial markers’ – signs, then – around the car park, showing entry points, no-entry points and general directional indicators that the car’s software can recognise on its way to finding a space. There’s also a map of the car park built into the programme.

It uses its next-generation ‘spatial awareness’ sensor array to avoid hitting things and drive through the car park safely, while the autonomous parking system that already exists can identify and slot into a space. An automatic transmission is, obviously, essential.

The current test programme is taking place in what appears to be a controlled car park where there are minimal variables, but over time the system will be developed so that it can operate among human drivers and all their weird and wonderful manoeuvring decisions.

The cars will be able to return to an allotted pick-up point in the car park by themselves, too. The future is almost here… until someone sneaks into the car park and changes all the signs around, anyway.

Comments

Whst if it fails though, who’s at fault

Cool , but is vastly demonstrate that a driverless car can be hacked … So what will happen if you slam the door and then car , you loose eye contact with it and then it goes exactly near hacker home ? ( obviously parking perfectly )

Its cool and all but when will my car pay for its fuel and not me???

This is a nice idea and could be implemented even before autonomy is truly perfected as long as there is a separate car park for autonomous-parking vehicles in which no humans are allowed. Then there’s no way that a human can be killed in a crash. This could be good since you could pack cars much closer together since nobody needs to get in and out.