We all know how much of a chore it is to look for a parking space. This is why most people would rather take an Uber instead of having to waste precious time and fuel on an endless quest to park their vehicle. But if Mercedes-Benz has its way, this will be a thing of the past.
According to Bloomberg and Automotive News, the German carmaker is working on a system that will ease motorists’ parking woes. Using ultrasound sensors on models like the new E-Class sedan, the car can scan for and locate spaces that are big enough for the particular vehicle to fit in.
The idea is to find a spot that would have otherwise been overlooked by a driver during their search. It helps avoid and even solve the problems of blind searches.
Apart from this, the information will then be gathered and shared with other motorists who are connected to the network. And with most new and upcoming vehicles being part of the information superhighway, most drivers can receive useful data on where they can find a parking slot within the vicinity of their destination.
The Mercedes system, however, is nothing new. Rival luxury brand BMW recently unveiled a somewhat similar app called ParkNow. The difference is that ParkNow allows one to pre-book and pay for parking in advance. Meanwhile, Siemens AG has a system that provides similar information, but radars are strategically mounted on street lamps instead of the on car. Each is designed to ease the burden of locating a safe space, not to mention lessen the environmental impact of the seemingly useless task of going around in circles.
While it may only be available on luxury brands now, we’re confident that, just like most technologies, it will eventually trickle down to mere mortals like us. Exorbitant parking fees, on the other hand, is another issue altogether.
