The Wuhu Chery Summit put the spotlight on technology that could make the frustration of parking, a thing of the past: self-parking cars that allow the driver to get out before the vehicle manoeuvres itself into a parking space. You would arrive at a shopping mall, step out of the car and let it do the fiddly bit on its own. No squeezing through a gap with a stomach pulled in and, hopefully, far fewer parking-related headaches.
It sounds like a small change, but it could make a difference to how we park our cars, especially in crowded shopping centres and multi-storey parking garages.
Goodbye, door-dinging disasters?
Most drivers have experienced that moment of dread when they pull into a parking bay and realise that the vehicle next to them has left barely enough room to open a door. An attempt can be made at an impressive sideways exit or climb out while hoping that the car door does not make contact with the neighbouring car.
Don’t forget the concrete pillars that seem determined to leave their mark on the vehicle’s paintwork. One slightly overenthusiastic door opening, one misjudged movement, and suddenly there is a scratch that was not on the car on arrival.
Self-parking technology offers a possible solution.
With the system demonstrated at the Chery Wuhu Summit, the driver can get out of the vehicle before it parks itself, using an app to initiate the parking manoeuvre. Instead of remaining behind the steering wheel while carefully inching into a tight space, the driver steps away and allows the vehicle to handle the job.
The car then manoeuvres into the available bay, using its technology to guide its movements.
The obvious advantage is that the driver no longer needs to open the door once the vehicle is positioned inside a narrow parking space. If everyone uses the system correctly, there should be less opportunity for doors to swing into neighbouring vehicles or scrape against garage walls and pillars.
Of course, the system cannot prevent every parking mishap. A car parked badly by another driver can still cause problems, and the technology does not make a vehicle immune to scratches or bumps. However, removing the need for the driver to squeeze out of a tightly parked car could eliminate one common cause of minor bodywork damage.
A little more room to breathe
Parking garages and shopping mall car parks have a finite amount of space. Widening every bay is not always practical, particularly in established buildings where the concrete structure is already in place. Yet, modern vehicles are getting larger, with SUVs and bakkies taking up more room than the compact hatchbacks that once populated many parking areas.
A system that allows a vehicle to park itself after its occupants have exited could give parking designers more flexibility when planning how spaces are used.
The potential benefit is not necessarily that every parking bay can immediately become narrower, but that automated parking could make better use of available space and reduce the need for extra room to accommodate drivers opening their doors.
It could reduce the amount of time drivers spend repeatedly manoeuvring back and forth in search of the perfect angle. Let the car do the calculations, and the driver can get on with the rest of the day.
Naturally, this does not mean the car can find an empty parking bay where none exist. Self-parking helps with the task of parking; it does not solve the problem of overcrowded shopping centres.
The perfect parking scenario
As appealing as the technology is, automated parking works best under the right conditions.
The ideal situation is a parking area where other vehicles have been parked properly, road markings are clear and there are no pedestrians or other obstacles in the vehicle’s path.
Shopping mall car parks are busy places, with people walking between vehicles, children appearing from behind SUVs, trolleys being pushed across lanes and drivers who seem to believe that reverse lights are decorative. A self-parking vehicle still needs a suitable environment in which to operate safely.
The technology should therefore be seen as an additional parking aid and not a magic solution that allows drivers to abandon all responsibility. Drivers must follow the manufacturer’s instructions, use the system only in suitable conditions and remain aware of their surroundings.
The app allows the driver to initiate the manoeuvre after exiting the vehicle. Exactly how the system operates, including its safeguards and operating limits, depends on the vehicle and the technology fitted.
Parking without the drama
The Wuhu Chery Summit offered a glimpse of how automotive technology is moving beyond the traditional focus on power, acceleration and touchscreen sizes.
Self-parking might not sound as glamorous as a powerful electric motor or a futuristic digital cockpit, but its practical benefits could be far more noticeable during an ordinary week.
And perhaps, one day, less time spent trying to squeeze a large SUV into a space that seems to have been designed for a shopping trolley.
* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.