A Comprehensive Overview of the Evolution of Parking Assistance Systems

With the advancement of intelligent vehicle technology, parking assistance systems have evolved from simple auxiliary functions to highly automated intelligent systems. Each generation of parking assistance technology not only enhances the convenience of parking but also drives continuous progress in automotive sensor technology, artificial intelligence, and communication technology. This article will provide a detailed analysis of parking assistance systems from Level 2 to Level 4, including their underlying core technologies, operating principles, and applications.

1. First-generation parking assistance: APA automatic parking

The APA (Auto Parking Assist) automatic parking system was the first parking assistance technology to become widely available, and is commonly found in mid- to high-end vehicles. The core technology of this system relies primarily on ultrasonic radar, environmental perception, and control systems to enable low-speed parking.

Core Technology:

Ultrasonic Radar Sensors: The APA system uses ultrasonic radar to sense the surrounding environment, typically including eight UPA ultrasonic radars at the front and rear and four APA radars installed on both sides. UPA radars have a shorter detection range but a wider angle, making them suitable for detecting obstacles at close range, while APA radars have a longer detection range, making them suitable for detecting parking spaces at a distance.

Vehicle control system: After detecting a suitable parking space, the vehicle control system automatically plans the parking trajectory by analyzing the information fed back from the radar, and controls the steering wheel, transmission, brakes, accelerator, and other systems to complete automatic parking.

Environmental perception and path planning: During parking, the APA system adjusts the trajectory in real time to avoid obstacles. The system combines front and rear radar information and uses complex algorithms to calibrate the vehicle’s parking path, ensuring that the vehicle can be parked precisely in the parking space.

Working principle:

Empty parking space detection and confirmation: When the vehicle is traveling at low speed, the front and rear radars scan the parking spaces and send signals back to the on-board computer. The computer analyzes the width of the parking space based on the vehicle speed and radar data to confirm whether it is a suitable parking space.

Parking path planning: After confirming a parking space, the vehicle system will plan a parking path based on the size of the vehicle and the parking space, and automatically adjust the vehicle’s trajectory to ensure smooth parking.

The limitation of the APA system is that it requires the driver to monitor the vehicle in real time, which means that it can only be classified as SAE Level 2 autonomous driving technology.

The evolution of parking assistance systems demonstrates the rapid advancement of automotive intelligent technology. From the basic APA automatic parking system to the remotely controlled RPA, then to the self-learning parking system capable of autonomous learning, and finally to the fully automated AVP valet parking system, each generation of systems has driven progress in autonomous driving technology and sensor technology.

As technology continues to mature, we can anticipate that future parking assistance systems will become even more intelligent and efficient, offering drivers a more convenient and safe parking experience. Meanwhile, the intelligent upgrading of parking infrastructure will be key to achieving higher-level parking systems.