RSS FeedsVW t25 Parking Problems
Vans are not easy to park. The visibility in campers is better, but they’re still large vehicles and often parking spaces are small. However,Volkswagen is working on an amazing parking aid that allows the driver to get out of the car and let it park itself. There’s unlikely to be an option to retrofit something like this, but there are parking sensors available to fit to your VW T25<T25 camper.
The system is called Park Assist Vision and is being tested in a Passat estate. All you need to do is put the DSG auto gearbox into park and get out. Two cameras suss out the dimensions of the parking space and send the information to a computer. That tells the engine, gearbox, steering and brake systems what to do.
If something goes wrong and you need to stop the car you can do so with the remote-control blipper. VW hasn’t got a date for when we’ll be able to buy the system, but it sounds like a great party trick.
Different from VW’s “Park Assist” semi-automatic parallel park-steering system already available in the Touran, Tiguan and Passat, the all new “Park Assist Vision” system allows parking into perpendicular parking spaces. The really cool thing about this system is that it’s fully automatic – no driver required! In fact the system is engaged by the driver using the key remote control while standing outside of the car. The car then proceeds to to reverse park itself into the parking space. Once the car reaches its final resting place, the engine turns off and the doors lock. Besides the obvious advantage for those with less than promising parking skills, the PAV system promises precision parking allowing the vehicle to fit into tight spots where the occupants would otherwise be unable to get in and out of the car comfortably.
The driver engages the system by selecting an available space on the navigation monitor, set the DSG gear selection lever to “P” and exit the vehicle, if desired. It’s advisable to inform the passengers first before exiting the car, so they don’t grab the steering wheel for dear life, however, the driver can stay in the car as well.
Debuting at the Hanover Fair in Germany until April 25th, the PAV system uses two cameras located in the side view mirrors, two additional cameras in the front and rear, ultrasonic sensors, electromechanic power steering and a 2-GHz high-performance computer which analyzes the video signals and sends commands to the steering and drive systems.
If things go awry, the driver may interrupt the manoeuvre at any time using the remote control. According to VW, the PAV system is “still in the trial phase of development, and a date has not yet been set for introduction of the system to series production.”