German automobile major Daimler, its car-sharing services arm car2go and components maker Bosch will join hands for a pilot project, making future cars capable of maneuvering automatically in a parking garage via smartphone application.
With an infrastructure put in place involving a Bosch vehicle control unit, Mercedes-Benz on-board sensors and car-sharing expertise car2go, cars can find free space and return on their own in a garage.
After booking a vehicle via car2go with smartphone, the driver can arrive at the pick-up-zone of the garage only to wait for the car to drive on its own. Similarly, the car could be returned after parking in drop zone, making use of the smartphone.
Before heading to an assigned parking space, the parking system in the garage registers itself and begins the operation.
Board Daimler member - group research & Mercedes-Benz cars development Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber said: "Our customers are always the centre of attention and all of our actions are oriented towards them. In future the car will even go to them.
"In collaboration with our partner Bosch and our mobility service car2go we are developing and testing an infrastructure-based solution for a fully automated valet parking service. For us another step on our way to autonomous driving - or as in this case: towards autonomous parking!"
Bosch is developing the infrastructure that includes parking space occupancy sensors, cameras, communication technology and units in the garage as well as vehicle. Daimler will be in charge of the sensor systems and the software in the car2go vehicles for innovation leaps for the car-sharing model under the same.
Bosch board member Dr. Dirk Hoheisel said: "Fully automated parking will be ready for mass-production before fully automated driving.
"Low driving speeds and the information from the car park infrastructure enable a fast implementation."
Image: Daimler and Bosch look to devise an automated parking capable of being controlled via smartphone. Photo: courtesy of Daimler.
