AAA says Americans Steer Away from Autonomous Parking

Tampa, FL – Self-parking technology is the way of the future; however, many motorists find it difficult to surrender control of their vehicle to a computer. According to a new AAA survey, nearly 80 percent of American drivers are confident in their parallel parking abilities and only one-in-four would trust this technology to park their vehicle.

Regardless of this, AAA testing found drivers who used their park assist systems during testing experienced 81 percent fewer curb strikes than drivers parking without assistance.

“Emerging technologies, like active park assist, are becoming more common in new vehicles, but American motorists still have not fully embraced this technology.” said Montrae Waiters, AAA spokeswoman. “AAA found drivers who used these new features during testing did exceptionally well and had fewer curb strikes then drivers who did not use the technology. This is great news for motorists who find it challenging to parallel park.”

In partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, AAA tested self-parking features on five vehicles: a 2015 Lincoln MKC, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML400 4Matic, a 2015 Cadillac CTS-V Sport, a 2015 BMW i3 and a 2015 Jeep Cherokee Limited.

Compared to drivers that manually parallel parked with the aid of a standard back-up camera, AAA found:

• Self-parking systems parallel parked the vehicle using 47 percent fewer maneuvers, with some systems completing the task in as little as one maneuver.
• Self-parking systems were able to park a vehicle 10 percent faster.
• Self-parking systems were able to park 37 percent closer to the curb.

Although the tested self-parking systems parked faster and more accurately than an unassisted driver, the technology is still not perfect.  AAA found that some systems parked their vehicles extremely close to the curb, which could cause damage to the tire sidewall or wheel leaving the driver with pricey repairs.

“AAA advises motorists who do not use their park assist to leave six-to-eight inches between the vehicle and the curb when parallel parking,” continued Waiters. “During testing some systems left as little as a half-inch cushion. AAA is an advocate for self-parking technology, but urges automakers to consider increasing the distance a vehicle parks itself from the curb to avoid damages.”

To learn more about AAA’s vehicle testing series, designed to educate and inform AAA members, the automotive industry and the general public, visit NewsRoom.AAA.com

AAA federation with nearly 55 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety.

About The Auto Club Group

The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America.  ACG and its affiliates provide membership, travel, insurance and financial services offerings to approximately 9 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.

ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 55 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety.