More than 100,000 Ford customers have placed orders for Active Park Assist, which helps drivers Parallel Park with the touch of a button and without ever touching the steering wheel.
Note: The system is supplied by Valeo.
Ford has now tripled production levels for the technology, which calculates the optimal steering angle and quickly steers the vehicle hands free into a parking spot.
A total of 102,460 European customers have specified Active Park Assist since it was introduced on the new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX at the end of 2010, with one-in-three buyers specifying it on those cars alone. A further one-in-five have ordered it on the new Ford Focus, which went on sale last year.
Active Park Assist – how it works
• The driver activates the system by pressing a button, which activates the ultrasonic sensors to measure and identify a feasible parallel parking space.
• The system then prompts the driver to accept the system assistance to park.
• The system then takes over and steers the car into the parking space hands-free. The driver still operates the gears and the accelerator and brake pedals.
• A visual and/or audible interface advises the driver about the proximity of other cars, objects and people and provides instructions.
• While the steering is all done automatically, the driver remains responsible for safe parking and can interrupt the system by grasping the steering wheel.
Source: Ford.
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