For some drivers, parking can be a very complicated task, especially in tight spaces, which are common today due to the large number of cars on the road. The task not only takes time but can also cause damage, as bumping into cars sometimes happens.

In order to facilitate these situations, systems were created to automatic parking or park assistAlthough already offered in a significant portion of the national mid-range segment, the technology is not very familiar to most of the population and is still seen as a novelty in the market.

The idea of automatic parking has been discussed since the early 1980s, but only in the transition between the 1980s and 1990s were the necessary technology and investments available for the development of such a system. The technology was initially presented by Volkswagen in its Futura IRVW concept car in 1989, which parked completely autonomously, without any driver assistance, through a dedicated computer in its trunk.

At the beginning of the 21st century, in 2003, the system was first launched in a mass-produced vehicle in Toyota's hybrid model, the Prius. From then on, it was applied and further developed by automakers. Nowadays, in Brazil, you can find the park assist in the country's most popular brands, such as Chevrolet, Ford, and Volkswagen. And it tends to extend to other brands and models.

When the system is signaled with the intention to park in a space, the parking assistance system's algorithm will analyze the data obtained from the vehicle's sensors to identify possible spaces and will alert the driver when it finds a suitable one. Then, the system will devise a sequence of controlled maneuvers, taking into account the size and distance of the parking space.

The method of detecting and calculating maneuvers tends to follow the same pattern across all makes and models; what changes is the extent to which the driver is needed in this process. In simpler systems, for example, the driver must control acceleration, braking, and gear position, and the system is limited to parallel parking. In others, the option of perpendicular parking is added. In more advanced systems, the driver only needs to select the lever position, leaving the rest of the actions to the system. There are already completely autonomous models, such as some Tesla models, that perform the maneuver without the need for human assistance.

Check out this amazing video of the Ford Focus's system in action:

Although these parking systems are not yet available in popular vehicles, the category most consumed by the Brazilian public, there are some parking assistance technologies, such as parking sensors and cameras, that can help avoid unwanted bumps and an excessive number of maneuvers.

The parking systems offered in most cars on the Brazilian market are a form of shared parking between the driver and the system, each assisting the other. Therefore, it is still extremely important for the driver to maintain focus and attention during maneuvers, as excessive convenience can cause distraction. This ensures the safety of passengers and those around, and also avoids financial losses – two extremely unpleasant situations.