Video of BMW's upcoming new "Auto Park" technology
 

Seems to be easier to use than Toyota's version. Hopefully Toyota will improve their version soon. I have to say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, though.:D
http://www.autospies.com/article/ind...1&categoryId=1

maybe this will stop people from hitting my car when their pulling out :mad:

maybe we have proof now that bmw is copying lexus, especially how they announced it a few weeks after the launch of the LS. And besides, that was only one of the great features. Even more are going to be publicized soon, and I cant wait to see BMW saying we are making that too.


Mink92890

It's been publicly announced and demo'd quite some time ago on the Prius already, so it shouldn't have much to do with the announcement of the new LS.

i totally agre.... i think we should really get over the whole i am first thing.... first doesn't mean best, and second doesn't mean the end of the world...

Sorry, i understand concept implementation is part of competition. Sorry i got too carried away.

Mink92890

no problem. to me i just don't want any unnecessary heated discussions we have had before

actually, Toyota system is mass produced since 2004 and sold in JDM Prius's and it came to Europe at the end of 2005.

I dont see how it is easier to use than Toyota though since in Prius, you see the actual video of your parking place, but here you have some simplistic screen with "drawings" of the parking space.

Sure, being first owns. Are we not always told how MB and BMW were first in so many things and how Toyota copies them? It is nice that recently Toyota is leading the car technology.

I see. I only saw the announcement and demo but was not sure if Toyota had begun mass-producing it or not. Good to know it's been in actual use already.:pThe reason I said the BMW's system seems to be easier to use is because the Toyota's system requires lots of touch screen presses to define your parking spot before the car can start to park itself, whereas the BMW's system seems to be a lot smarter and requires only a push of a button for the process to begin.

Please read the following article for more details.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/0....ap/index.html

Of course, having a back-up camera is better in that the driver can see if he/she is about to hit something. But IMO the automatic parking system should be smart enough to recognize the available parking slot for the driver as shown in the BMW video, or in the case of a touch screen with a back-up camera, offers a pre-picked, most likely spot for the driver so that the driver only needs to confirm it and not have to arduously jiggle the arrows on the screen, though if he/she doesn't like the pre-selected slot he/she should also be offered a chance to adjust it him/herself. That will be the direction I hope Toyota's next-generation auto-parking system is heading to.:)

as much as I know, it is preselected, you just fine tune it if you wish, at least thats true when it comes to newer European models.

New LS will be full of parking camera's. Dual front, back and side cameras. It is definetly a lot better than small parking sensors. And IPA is being added to other new Toyota cars as well.

Are there any similar videos showing the LS auto parking technology? Also, will these systems guarantee that my aftermarket wheels won't ever scrape? :woohoo:

Haha, guess I should've tried the system in person before I made my judgement based on a video and a few articles. Thanks for letting me know how the system really works. If that's the case, Toyota's system seems to be still superior to BMW's system. Now if they can make the system to go back and forth and inch its way to a super tight spot like we humans do, it'll be perfect.:pYeah, the technology will undoubtedly trickle down to every model there is eventually, but for now the LS will lead way. :thumbup:

Really? Multiple cameras for the New LS? I hope so!

I dont think any car should have this feature, its just another reason to give lazy bad drivers more room for error by relying on a computer. :(

well, technically, BMW system is not on the sale yet. In recent 2-3 months, we got similar systems from Peugot/Citroen, Volvo and BMW (presentations only, no sales yet). I am sure when some European journalist will write an review on Prius and say how it copied European technology (Europeans love to say that :-).

We have Corolla Verso in Europe (small van - Mazda5 like), that already has both front and back cameras. There are wide angle cameras at front, to help with parking AND at T interesections, which help in busy european towns... So basically LS will get addition of side camera's as well.