Ford Ends the Parallel Parking Nightmare
February 1, 2009
I avoid parallel parking with every ounce of my being. I haven’t attempted a parallel parking maneuver since drivers’ ed in high school. It’s true! So I was really impressed to learn that Ford is introducing an Active Park Assist feature on the 2010 Lincoln MKS, which will be available in summer 2009.
I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t Lexus already introduce this feature?” Well, yes and no. Ford’s system uses ultrasonic-based sensors and electric power assisted steering to position your car for parallel parking, calculates the optimal steering angle and quickly steers the car into a parking spot with the touch of a single button. This technology is supposed to be a step above the Lexus system which utilizes video cameras to determine how to steer the vehicle. According to Ford execs, the system works faster and more accurately than the Lexus system, and should be less expensive as well.
In addition to helping ease parallel parking woes, the system also increases fuel economy by up to 5 percent while reducing emissions and enhancing performance, compared with traditional steering, Ford says.
“This is technology not for the sake of technology,” said Ali Jammoul, Ford’s chief engineer for chassis engineering and steering systems, “but technology designed to meet the needs and wants of customers.”
If a Lincoln MKS is not in your price range, you will be happy to know that by 2012, Ford plans to fit nearly 90 percent of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup with this system, putting it within reach for the masses.
Source: http://www.motherproof.com
Tags: vehicle, video cameras, USRelated Posts:
Safe Parking, a Picture to Remember
September 6, 2008
““ for accounting, control and access of cars at parking places. New development won’t take the duty off a parking attendant, however, it will make his life much more easier. Smart development identifies car’s number and opens parking gates in front of it, but only if the car has the right to leave or enter the parking area. Moreover, “Tral Parking”, how the system in called, never takes doubtful decisions and never hesitates to contact the operator, when it needs help, taking photo of every car, passing the gates of the parking place.
The core of the device is digital video-recorder “Tral”, developed ten years ago by “SMP” company. This year’s innovation in “Tral Parking”, demonstrated during MIPS-2007 ehxibition, recently held in Moscow. We shall try to describe the system in simple terms, avoiding technical details. “Tral Parking” consists of several parts: first, it has “eyes” – two videocameras, first one watching carsm entering the parking place, and the second – keeping a eye on cars, leaving the shelter. Having a car in its field of vision, the camera transfers its image to system’s “think factory” – “Tral Parking”, a video-recorder looking like a portable but promising computer.
Now it’s time for panegyrics – the device is able to receive video-signals from several cameras simultaneously and analyses signals my means of original software. First, it scans the image and finds car number – white rectangle of given size with figures. Then, the device identifies car nuber and compares it with its database – if the number exists in “Tral”’s database, the gates open, and the car gets the access to the parking place, actuating car pass sensor and a photocamera, saving car image to video-recorder’s memory.
Scrupulous developers have foreseen the situation, when computer fail to identify car number, for instance, in case, when the number is covered with dirt or snow. Then computer refers to “next higher authority” – to a parking guard. A guard sees the car on his monitor, where TRAL’s cameras transfer car image, and can permit it to enter the parking place manually. Nevertheless, in this case car’s image is also saved in the database. Video-recorder and guard’s personal computer can communicate online via either local network, or Wi-Fi adapter – this is a boast of system developers. “Tral” recorders are able to register signals of 4 cameras simultaneously, offering multifold possibilities for users.
System’s archive – database and car images – is stored on a flash drive. The video-recoder is small and can be installed directly into parking gates, because it works in wide temperature range (from –20 to +55 degrees Centigrade). System’s database and archive can be reached remotely, via nerwork. “Tral” records car images with exact time of leavingentering the parking place, thus leaving no opportunities for passing near sleepless electronic guarg unnoticed. Soon parking guards will have a new assistant – smart, alert and honest “Tral Parking”.
Source: http://www.russia-ic.com
Tags: moscow, chinese car parking, parking attendantRelated Posts:
