Parking solved.......

[NalaGee]

....with the Lexus LS460.


In todays Automotive world their are so many new features and
accessories being built into new vehicles it makes one wonder
how many are practical or necessary for the average driver.

The following is an extract on just one of the many new features
fitted to the new Lexus LS460. Full report at the end of the extract

Another optional feature that elicited wows when the LS460 was announced last January was a system that would allow the car to actually park itself. You simply pull up to a parking space and place the Intelligent Park Assist system into self-park mode. After that, all you have to do is keep your foot lightly on the brake pedal. The car will do the rest, automatically steering into the space for a perfect park each time.

We tried out this feature and it worked as advertised, however it was rather sensitive to the speed you allow during reverse operations. If you let it go too fast or too slow, it displays an error message on the screen and cancels the operation. You also need a parking space at least 4 feet longer than the car to complete the maneuver. To initiate self park, you would pull up to the car in front of the parking space and place the car in reverse. The screen changes to the rearview camera image with a rectangular box and 4 arrows. You tap the arrows until the box is in the space where you want the car to wind up in. Once you have that done, tap a button on the screen and let go of the wheel. As you ease the car back, the steering wheel begins to turn into the space. When it reaches a certain point, the wheel spins in the other direction to complete the park. You then have to manually shift into drive and pull forward if necessary, but the car wound up exactly where you set it to go.

Full report at: http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/LexusLS460/

My question - How would Driving Examiners deal with
this new method pf parking? or would they insist that only the manual method be used for the test?

Alan

[TripleS]

....with the Lexus LS460.


In todays Automotive world their are so many new features and
accessories being built into new vehicles it makes one wonder
how many are practical or necessary for the average driver.

The following is an extract on just one of the many new features
fitted to the new Lexus LS460. Full report at the end of the extract

Another optional feature that elicited wows when the LS460 was announced last January was a system that would allow the car to actually park itself. You simply pull up to a parking space and place the Intelligent Park Assist system into self-park mode. After that, all you have to do is keep your foot lightly on the brake pedal. The car will do the rest, automatically steering into the space for a perfect park each time.

We tried out this feature and it worked as advertised, however it was rather sensitive to the speed you allow during reverse operations. If you let it go too fast or too slow, it displays an error message on the screen and cancels the operation. You also need a parking space at least 4 feet longer than the car to complete the maneuver. To initiate self park, you would pull up to the car in front of the parking space and place the car in reverse. The screen changes to the rearview camera image with a rectangular box and 4 arrows. You tap the arrows until the box is in the space where you want the car to wind up in. Once you have that done, tap a button on the screen and let go of the wheel. As you ease the car back, the steering wheel begins to turn into the space. When it reaches a certain point, the wheel spins in the other direction to complete the park. You then have to manually shift into drive and pull forward if necessary, but the car wound up exactly where you set it to go.

Full report at: http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/LexusLS460/

My question - How would Driving Examiners deal with
this new method pf parking? or would they insist that only the manual method be used for the test?

Alan

Very interesting technically of course, but I expect Driving Examiners would required a DIY version.

With regard to your first paragraph, I think some of the gadgetry on the newer cars is getting overdone. The availability of driver aids is good, in principle, but I don't want a lump of mechanical/electronic gubbins telling me how things have to be done. Sorry, but I don't think it's a welcome development in terms of our driving ability.

I do appreciate that most of the driving population does not share my enthusiasm for driving, and they might be happy to become less of a driver and more of a passenger in their own cars.

Best wishes all,
Dave - old grumpy.

[Lynne]

....with the Lexus LS460.


My question - How would Driving Examiners deal with
this new method pf parking? or would they insist that only the manual method be used for the test?

After they'd picked themselves up off the ground in shock that anyone turned up in what sounds like a rather smart Lexus??

They don't allow the automatic parking brake so can't see them allowing this!!

DIA link

Lynne

[PeteG]

On a slightly more learner-friendly price range... how about parking distance sensors?

Also, I'm yet to find a test candidate willing to try out "no I won't parallel park there... we can park over there forwards and walk"...

[NalaGee]

Dave replied to my 'Parking Solved' post

Sorry, but I don't think it's a welcome development in terms of our driving ability.

I do appreciate that most of the driving population does not share my enthusiasm for driving, and they might be happy to become less of a driver and more of a passenger in their own cars.

Best wishes all,
Dave - old grumpy.[/quote]

You don't have to apologise to me Dave, I agree with your sentiments.
I just thought this news item was worthy of a mention as to where the
Automotive Industry is heading, not possibly for the best.
It would seem to me that alot of these developments are for the benefit
of seling more Vehicles to the gullible.

As a matter of interest, what do you and others reading this think are the most five important and necessary additions to any vehicle after the basics?

Cheers

Alan

[SammyTheSnake]

External mirrors (then, they were fitted to the front wings, rather than the doors.

My mum used to have an old datsun with nubbins on the ends of the wings where the wing mirrors weren't (there were wing mirrors in the usual position) and she said they were very useful for judging where the front of the car was when parking...

Electric indicators, rather than the semaphore arms.

Trafficators?

Electric windscreen wipers.

Now I'm intrigued, what was the alternative? No windscreen wipers, or ones operated by a handle in the dashboard?

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[SammyTheSnake]

I'm pretty sure that very early wipers were manually operated. The ones I was thinking of were the vacuum ones (Fords, I think, used them). Driven from the inlet manifold I think. Sorry to be a bit vague here! Anyway, the point is, they slowed, or stopped when you opened the throttle; great for overtaking in the rain. If I've got this wrong, TripleS will correct me: Dave, where are you?

Cheers, Chris.

Um, no I didn't Your quoting's a little off there, Chris. Time for the wee "Edit" button?

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[TripleS]

As a matter of interest, what do you and others reading this think are the most five important and necessary additions to any vehicle after the basics?

Cheers

Alan

Hi, Alan; depends on what you consider the basics to be. Back in 1962, when I was buying my first (secondhand) car, extras, either from the manufacturer or after-market, might have included:
Seat belts.
External mirrors (then, they were fitted to the front wings, rather than the doors.
Electric indicators, rather than the semaphore arms.
A heater.
Electric windscreen wipers.

Oh, & back then, people were still getting used to the idea that there wasn't a hole in the front bumper for the starting handle.

It would also have been nice to have some assurance from the manufacturer that rust would't start appearing within months.

TripleS will know what I mean & will have some more to add.....Dave?

Cheers, Chris.

Yes Chris, I do know what you mean, but if I were to answer honestly we'd have my friend Roadcraft zooming in and accusing me of wanting to take motoring back to the dark ages.

I think I'll wait and see what he says before I try to pluck up courage to answer the question. Meanwhile perhaps we should enjoy the modern toys and just try to use them sensibly.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Nigel]

I think the most useful modern aid is ABS.

As an invention I think it is very good, allows panick braking when you need it most, even by the most unexperienced, and still allows you to steer.

I also remember my grandad having those vacuum operated windscreen wipers on his ford popular, and my dad having a vacuum operated screen wash on a vauxhall.

My dad also had "trafficators" on an austin somerset.

My first car was a 1965 vauxhall viva (it was 12 years old when I got it), it had seatbelts in the front as they became law in Jan 65, but the interesting point is it was the "deluxe" model, this meant it had a heater !

The first car I remember my dad having without a starting handle was an austin maxi, it was also the first front wheel drive car we had in the family.

[TripleS]

Electric indicators, rather than the semaphore arms.

Sammy the Snake wrote:
"Trafficators?"

Yes. I'd forgotten that word!

Electric windscreen wipers.

Sammy the Snake wrote:

"Now I'm intrigued, what was the alternative? No windscreen wipers, or ones operated by a handle in the dashboard?"

I'm pretty sure that very early wipers were manually operated. The ones I was thinking of were the vacuum ones (Fords, I think, used them). Driven from the inlet manifold I think. Sorry to be a bit vague here! Anyway, the point is, they slowed, or stopped when you opened the throttle; great for overtaking in the rain. If I've got this wrong, TripleS will correct me: Dave, where are you?
Cheers, Chris.

You called sir?

Anyhow, there's no correction needed. IIRC Ford did use vacuum operated wipers, the source of vacuum being, as you say, the inlet manifold, with the result that they worked very well at closed throttle (high vacuum) but when you open the throttle to accelerate, the vacuum collapsed, and the wipers more or less stopped. It was not a good system!

I'm not sure at what point Ford started fitting electrically operated wipers, but it appears the vacuum ones were still used on the Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac range from 1956 to about 1962.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Gromit37]

Sammy said :

"Now I'm intrigued, what was the alternative? No windscreen wipers, or ones operated by a handle in the dashboard?"

If you buy a new Caterham 'Classic'... the windscreen is optional! So is the roof, not to mention a coat of paint.

I still want one. Are you listening to me Santa?

[NalaGee]

............with the Lexus LS460.


Today on a TV Motoring programme there was a demonstration of this
car being automatically parked between two piles of crystal glassware
stacked about a metre high,, plus the car's length with about half a
metre front and rear of the Lexus when finally parked.
The driver just used the IPA system plus his left foot slightly on the brake
pedal, the car did the rest, a very impressive operation
Have no idea of the value of the crystal glasses, but they looked and
sounded the real thing!

.................................................................................................
Part of original posting

The following is an extract on just one of the many new features
fitted to the new Lexus LS460. Full report at the end of the extract

Another optional feature that elicited wows when the LS460 was announced last January was a system that would allow the car to actually park itself. You simply pull up to a parking space and place the Intelligent Park Assist system into self-park mode. After that, all you have to do is keep your foot lightly on the brake pedal. The car will do the rest, automatically steering into the space for a perfect park each time.