Ford’s Hands-Free Parallel Parking Aid is a Hit 100,000 Times Over; Production Tripled to Meet Demand
- More than 100,000 customers have placed orders for Active Park Assist, which helps drivers parallel park with the touch of a button and without ever touching the steering wheel
- Ford has increased production threefold to meet demand for the ultrasonic-based sensing system found on Focus, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX
- Active Park Assist will be offered on more models in 2012, including the new Ford Kuga
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BRENTWOOD, UK, Jan. 25, 2012 – If proof was needed that parallel parking drives motorists to distraction, then more than 100,000 orders for Ford’s Active Park Assist feature makes the point loud and clear.
Ford has now tripled production levels for the technology, which calculates the optimal steering angle and quickly steers the vehicle hands free into a parking spot.
“Ford Active Park Assist takes all the stress out of parking,” said Ford engineer Kay Müller. “At the touch of a button, it enables you to park in the smallest of spaces, while at the same time reducing the risk of accidental damage to your vehicle and those surrounding it.”
A total of 102,460 European customers have specified Active Park Assist since it was introduced on the new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX at the end of 2010, with one-in-three buyers specifying it on those cars alone. A further one-in-five have ordered it on the new Ford Focus, which went on sale last year.
A third of European drivers surveyed by Ford last year said they struggled to parallel park. Many confessed to finding it more stressful than a trip to the dentist.
“The demand for Active Park Assist has been truly surprising,” said Gunnar Herrmann, the Ford engineering director who led the development of the Focus. “Even more customers will be able to benefit from this feature as we introduce it on new products in the future, starting with the new Ford Kuga later this year.”
Active Park Assist – how it works
- The driver activates the system by pressing a button, which activates the ultrasonic sensors to measure and identify a feasible parallel parking space
- The system then prompts the driver to accept the system assistance to park
- The system then takes over and steers the car into the parking space hands-free. The driver still operates the gears and the accelerator and brake pedals
- A visual and/or audible interface advises the driver about the proximity of other cars, objects and people and provides instructions.
- While the steering is all done automatically, the driver remains responsible for safe parking and can interrupt the system by grasping the steering wheel
Please click the link for a video demonstration of Active Park Assist http://youtu.be/AXZU6CQz4sw
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordmotorcompany.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 51 individual markets and employs approximately 66,000 employees. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford of Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities, including joint ventures. The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.