September25
CNBC’s Phil LeBeau had the chance to test Lexus‘ automatic parking system on live television last week. Toyota let LeBeau test the “parking assistance” feature in a real-world setting in Dearborn, Michigan. The system appears to work quite effectively, with the ending position only slightly out of line from the other vehicles. The Leftlane Perspective: Oddly, the car doesn’t seem to straighten its wheels after moving into position, nor does it nudge forward slightly after pulling in. It’s also unclear if the camera/sensor system can be used to get out of the parking space as easily as in. Lastly, we wonder if encouraging drivers to park in an abnormally small space is really so wise. Will other drivers be able to get our of their spaces when your Lexus is tightly wedged in front of their car? Have a look at the video after the jump…
In before massive amount of negative comments from domestic driving e-thugs.
How about people start learning how to drive properly first before baby-feeding them with this stuff? I’m telling ya, if this is how we’re all gonna “drive” in the future, then the car as we know it is dead.
It’s a nice feature, and even though it may not be practical, did you hear the oohs and aahs? It’d be nice to see some domestics with features that could elicit the same reactions.
But I’m just wondering, does the car only back in like that, then you have to straighten it out? This is nitpicky, but if you can engineer a car to back in, it should be able to finish the job, y’know?
before you press “Ok”, somebody will take your spot.
all kidding aside, it’s a cool feature, just seems to take a long time. it could be useful for when somebody calls or you have to do something just before getting set to park. might save some time.
I’m afraid I have to agree with 1c3d0g this time; it IS a cool technological trick, but why don’t we just learn how to parallel park? And the writing appears to be on the walls: between this new trick, and “adaptive cruise control” which can maintain a certain distance between you and the guy in front of you by accelerating AND braking, the “driver” is going to be relegated to an observer some day.
Oh—I know what this is: it’s another feature that will allow the little, wealthy 100 pound women to drive such a big car, just like the power operated footboards, and the power folding rear seats, in the Lincoln Navigator.
Cynical, ain’t I?
This system is just technology overkill. I mean technology like ESP, radars to brake make the car better handling wise are fine because they serve a purpose of making the car safer for users, but this is a joke. This car is boring enough without the system. This car is rubbish
Anybody who buys cars like this should have to do their driving test again to prove they car still drive.
get her!
News flash: This technology, like ~95% of automobiles and new auto related tech is NOT intended for enthusiast (or children w/o drivers license like our beloved 1c3d0g). Rather this is for your Grandpa and Grandma and all their fellow baby boomers.
1c3puppy always has racism, tough playground talk, and lots of IM happy faces for us here at LLN. Much like that GM4ever guy who was all over LLN for a while, it is simply best to ignore him.
this is intended for our wives, mothers and daughters.
Whats Lexus meant to say? wives mothers and daughters can’t drive????
My point is that if you can’t even do the basics of driving then you raelly do need to learn how to. What are these people meant to do when the system malfunctions. This kind of technology is asa worthless as the idrive in the BMW.
This system doesn’t even complete the job properly. For gods sake how hard is it to reverse. Crap total crap
Don’t pay attention to 1c3d0g, he talks alot (types) but he really has nothing valid to say. All this high tech stuff if you haven’t noticed is in cars that are meant to have you isolated from the car, road and surroundings, it a freakin luxury car, thats what it’s made to do! And most of the people driving a LS460 are old and have been driving for a long time, and know how to parallel park.
I can’t wait for technology like this to become standard on cars. You can’t believe the hours waisted watching some person try to get into a spot - backing up, pulling forward, backing up, pulling forward, over and over again. Sometimes I just want to go up and do it for them since they are blocking traffic.
BMW has a self parking feature for the garage that works pretty cool - you actually GET OUT of the car then it parks itself. It can park 2 cars so close that the doors wont open. There is a video of that on CarTVs website.
I am only 16 and have yet to get my driver’s license (I’ve been driving with a permit for about 11 months). Think about it. A 16 old kid who visits a site like this probably wants his license so he can drive, right? Exactly. So while this is an awesome achievement technologically, I wanna to the driving!
I don’t know if it would become standard, I’d immagine a feature like that would cost your wallet just adding it to the base price
The technology is amazing, it just might take years for it to be accepted if it does indeed work with out a hitch for every car…
Don’t worry, it wont be available in USA, same as Launch-control on E46 M3. Say “Thanks” to bunch of lawyers.
While it would be great to think that in the future everyone will be able to control their cars properly, let’s face it. Human beings have a much higher rate of failure than computers for the amount of work they do. Maybe it’s just applicable to the areas I’ve lived in, but I have seen some DUMB stuff on the roads, and in our parking lots. For every person posting on LLN who have complete control over their vehicles, I would venture that there are probably 1,000 who eat at 80+mph, talk on their cell phones, drive with their knees on the wheel and will hurt themselves driving while chewing gum. This should be for them. Too bad most of them won’t be able to afford a Lexus….
For the record, I love being able to control my own car and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would love to see that people as a whole just learn how to properly drive, but judging by the last time I got a chance to sample a cross section of people that were poor drivers what they were there for and what they had done were so depressing that I knew this type of technology was going to be the wave of the future. Although computers aren’t perfect either. That BMW parking itself fits so snugly it’s crazy, but doesn’t get back out of the garage, and I really don’t see why the Lexus won’t pull forward for a bit or even the wheels. I do hope it warns you when some jackass tries to auto park it in a place where it just won’t fit.
Random Jerk/doublearon21: good to see the love flowing between you two. Don’t forget to close the door before banging each other.
Even if my car had something like this I doubt i’d use it, I prefer to be in complete control still I can imagine it being handy for some people. Though does anyone hate to think about how much stink someone will kick up when it reverses into a garbage can or curb?
Great. Another excuse for drivers to be distracted. All these gadgets are enabling drivers to do anything BUT drive while behind the wheel. I agree with 1c3d0g…people need to know HOW to drive before they’re allowed to use crap like this. There are already too many idiots on the road who can’t handle their vehicle.
If the sensors fail I can see a bunch of lawsuits that will affect Lexus’ reputation. Remember the Audi acceleration controversy of the 1980’s?
If someone cannot parallel park a car that big, they should consider buying something smaller. I bet the Yaris can be parked quite easily.
1c3d0g, everyone knows the only reason you are ranting about how stupid this parallel parking device is , is because its made by Lexus. Now if this was Cadillac coming out with it you’d be saying something like “Wow, this is some great technology! Go GM! *insert stupid smiley that you always put here*”. However, since you are so OBVIOUSLY biased agaisnt anything and everything toyota / lexus / any japanese brand does, you are negative about this technological innovation. face it, parallel parking is a chore, and this helps make it easier. no, this isnt a robot taking over driving your car, its just for parallel parking. dont make it any more than it is.
LamboZ: no, as I said before, I’m against ALL of these techno-crap (ESP, Traction Control etc.), regardless of manufacturer. Keep your hatred for the Domestics out of this thread for once, thank you.
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