Autonomous parking is on the way, assisted parking is already here
In a few years’ time, cars will be able to do everything by themselves, even freeing up drivers from looking for parking. This will undoubtedly be a huge change, but already today – in fact, for the last 20 years – the Volkswagen Group cars have been able to assist drivers in finding a free parking space and manoeuvring into it.
Here is a brief overview of the main parking assistance systems available on the Group models.
Area View uses four cameras with a viewing angle of 190° – installed at the rear, in the exterior mirrors and in the radiator grille – which capture the entire area around the vehicle and project a live image in the cockpit display from a birds-eye perspective. Area View literally allows the driver to “see around the corner”, as the camera in the radiator grille is located very far forwards and is able to acquire images of the areas to the left and right sooner and better. It shows a live image of approaching cross traffic on the display before the driver can even see it.
The Rear View system enables a view behind the vehicle, thereby indicating whether the rear zone is clear: when reverse is engaged, the rear-view camera is automatically activated. The lines showing the driving path on the display offer additional orientation. They are shown differently depending on the system and based on the steering wheel angle.
Park Assist allows the car to park in the smallest spaces, either longitudinal or perpendicular, and automatically brakes in an emergency situation. This device scans the parking space using twelve ultrasound sensors, calculates the necessary manoeuvres, indicates the starting position and even makes the steering movements fully automatically. The driver only needs to accelerate and brake.

Rear Traffic Alert is activated when reversing out from a parking space perpendicular to the street. In addition to the ultrasound parking sensors, dedicated radar sensors monitor the zone behind and on the sides of the vehicle, recognising what the driver cannot see from their seat. If the system detects cross traffic approaching from behind the car, it warns the driver of the danger. If the driver does not react, the system automatically brakes, avoiding or at least reducing collision damages.
Source: Volkswagen AG