[jonatious]

Every time I go to a parking lot I try the park assist feature and it barely works, what am I missing? I have tried all types of parking spots from completely empty to sparsely parked to almost fully parked and it only works once in 20 times or so. Today I was at Costco’s parking and there were very little spots that were taken and park assist couldn’t find anything until I parked myself, the car suggested the path in between the parking spots as a spot to park

[samvora]

The car is trying to tell you that don't be a spoon fed driver and park the car in a sparsely populated parking lot anywhere you see an open spot. You need assistance in tight situations jokes apart - it works when you are trying to parallel park between two cars not more than a distance of 2 cars apart and similarly for perpendicular parking. Concept is that it needs 2 objects or cars to detect close by to provide automatic assistance where it can then understand that it now needs to measure and park accordingly. If it is an too open of a space then it cannot measure accurately as to where it has to start and stop measuring and start parking.

[john1200c]

It looks like you pulled in forward. Doesn't it have to back in to perpendicular spots?

[TurtleBoy]

As mentioned above, it is designed to work when there are two vehicles on either side of the spot. It does not read lines.

In the case in your picture, it likely is seeing the lane as the spot you want to back into since you pulled forward into a spot.

[Dwillbimmer]

I’ve found the function to be nearly useless for perpendicular parking. The problem is that you have to be very close to the row of cars for the system to detect them and the spaces in between. In my experience, you have to run close enough that the side sensors show orange as you drive by. Only green, or far enough away that that the side sensors don’t turn any color at all, it doesn’t work. As a result, it’s always a multi stop maneuver when it does work because you’re so close, it can’t swing in one move. Generally, I hit the park assist button just to get the top down view and park manually.

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by samvora

The car is trying to tell you that don't be a spoon fed driver and park the car in a sparsely populated parking lot anywhere you see an open spot. You need assistance in tight situations jokes apart - it works when you are trying to parallel park between two cars not more than a distance of 2 cars apart and similarly for perpendicular parking. Concept is that it needs 2 objects or cars to detect close by to provide automatic assistance where it can then understand that it now needs to measure and park accordingly. If it is an too open of a space then it cannot measure accurately as to where it has to start and stop measuring and start parking.

Well I have clearly mentioned that it hasnt worked even when there was a spot between two cars. Even in the sparsely parked lot, there was a spot between two cars and it didn’t detect

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by john1200c

It looks like you pulled in forward. Doesn't it have to back in to perpendicular spots?

It didnt detect any spots to park and I decided to just pull forward

[john1200c]

Originally Posted by jonatious

It didnt detect any spots to park and I decided to just pull forward

Got it. I ordered this on my car since the one I test drove had it and it seemed to work. I don't really need it but thought it would be entertaining for my kids....

[Flyer1234]

Mine has worked nicely on parallel parking. But it just seems to park very close to the curb though. But it works.

[Stoshu]

Originally Posted by Flyer1234

Mine has worked nicely on parallel parking. But it just seems to park very close to the curb though. But it works.

Isn’t close (but not touching) what you want? That’s always my goal when I park!

[hksr]

Wonder if it has failed on anybody and ends up curbing the rims?

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by hksr

Wonder if it has failed on anybody and ends up curbing the rims?

I doubt it, I think the sensors are pretty good in avoiding. But would be interesting if it happened.

[Grumpy311]

Has anybody got the car to perpendicular park in one swing? Also, What is up with the back up cameras at night? I can see barely anything behind me.

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by john1200c

Got it. I ordered this on my car since the one I test drove had it and it seemed to work. I don't really need it but thought it would be entertaining for my kids....

I am probably that kid lol. Of course I can park myself. I just love to see it do by itself haha. It just seems a little unreliable most of the times especially with perpendicular parking

[gqgambler]

What's wrong with parking the old fashion way, doing it yourself and using the skills learned in driver's ed. I think people spend more time talking and trying out these fancy parking features than it takes to pull into a space.

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by gqgambler

What's wrong with parking the old fashion way, doing it yourself and using the skills learned in driver's ed. I think people spend more time talking and trying out these fancy parking features than it takes to pull into a space.

What’s wrong with driving ourselves? Why even pay money and get driving assistance when you can drive old school?

[jad03060]

Originally Posted by jonatious

What’s wrong with driving ourselves? Why even pay money and get driving assistance when you can drive old school?

I, for one, have an autoimmune disease that literally, progressively locks up joints so I can't turn around much, so even turning to look out the side mirror is a challenge, let alone turning around to back up safely without the cameras in the X5. Haven't owned a vehicle in the last 15-years without a backup camera. When I was piloting my plane, I'd use a small mirror to do the controls check of the rudder and elevator prior to take off since I couldn't turn to view them. Nice to know you can control the plane before you take off!

So, try not to be snarky...there are people that use and need such aids. It's hard to look at intersections, and it takes me awhile to double check it's safe to pull out, and the front cameras help there, but don't see as far as I'd like. Turning my body is tougher, but I do it. Who knows how many more years I'll have before it's unsafe. Lots, I hope, but will know when the time comes. In the interim, the safety aids help. You just need to know their limitations, just like you do with your body. FWIW, I usually park without the aids, except for the cameras.

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by jad03060

I, for one, have an autoimmune disease that literally, progressively locks up joints so I can't turn around much, so even turning to look out the side mirror is a challenge, let alone turning around to back up safely without the cameras in the X5. Haven't owned a vehicle in the last 15-years without a backup camera. When I was piloting my plane, I'd use a small mirror to do the controls check of the rudder and elevator prior to take off since I couldn't turn to view them. Nice to know you can control the plane before you take off!

So, try not to be snarky...there are people that use and need such aids. It's hard to look at intersections, and it takes me awhile to double check it's safe to pull out, and the front cameras help there, but don't see as far as I'd like. Turning my body is tougher, but I do it. Who knows how many more years I'll have before it's unsafe. Lots, I hope, but will know when the time comes. In the interim, the safety aids help. You just need to know their limitations, just like you do with your body. FWIW, I usually park without the aids, except for the cameras.

I don’t know if you meant to reply to my msg. My msg was questioning with sarcasm. I greatly appreciate the technological advancements in a car all the time.

[john1200c]

Originally Posted by gqgambler

What's wrong with parking the old fashion way, doing it yourself and using the skills learned in driver's ed. I think people spend more time talking and trying out these fancy parking features than it takes to pull into a space.

Agree - I just think it's fun watching the car drive itself. I'll probably use it a couple of times and forget about it. I just like gizmos and gadgets...

[Dwillbimmer]

Originally Posted by Grumpy311

Has anybody got the car to perpendicular park in one swing? Also, What is up with the back up cameras at night? I can see barely anything behind me.

With the way it works, I don’t think it’s possible. In my experience, it forces you to get so close to the rear of the line of cars that there is no way that you can turn sharp enough to make it in one continuous motion, even with the steering at full lock.

I’ve noticed the issue with the backup camera at night too. Either the low light performance of the camera is really bad, or the reverse lights are poor. I have a X6 with the two slim hockey stick rear light clusters and assume a lot of it is due to poor reverse lighting. The white reverse lights seem pretty small. Hate to say it, but I though I could see better in my previous Mazda CX-5, and that camera was derided for being low resolution.

[samvora]

Mine has worked flawlessly and I love that feature and the backup feature

[jonatious]

Originally Posted by samvora

Mine has worked flawlessly and I love that feature and the backup feature

For perpendicular parking, does it need a spot between two cars to work?