German automaker Audi has won the Innovation in Automotive Technology award from Automotive Business Review for its piloted parking technology.
Five players including Honda Motors, Ford, Nissan, Acura, and Audi were shortlisted for the award.
Audi's Piloted Parking technology makes it possible for the car to drop the driver and then park itself in parking garages and exit from there. The car returns to pick up the driver when instructed.
The system is operated using a smartphone app. After activation, the central computer in the parking garage receives a message, and uses WLAN to guide the vehicle to the nearest available parking space.
During the parking process, laser sensors in the garage record the car's movements while the computer processes them to produce the precise location of the vehicle.
The system uses the map of the parking garage to plan the route of the vehicle to a parking space. It ensures that the vehicle has an unobstructed path from the starting point to its destination.
The car monitors its surroundings with 12 ultrasonic sensors. The company also plans to use four video cameras in the future.
The technology is expected to be helpful in traffic jams and while maneuvering into parking spots and in small garages. The parking technology is already functional in some vehicles.
Audi says it is working to refine the technology and lower its costs. It is expected to be available in the market by 2020.
