Honda to add automated parallel-parking gadgetry

Honda is joining the automated parallel-parking party with the addition of a "parking device" to its latest model of the Life mini-vehicle, which will be released on October 5. Similar to other models by Toyota, Volkwagen and BMW, this newfangled widget will do all the hard work of straining to see the right angles and talking you through the whole process, while you apply the gas and brakes. The so-called "parking device" (c'mon guys, couldn't you have come up with a better name?) will also be sold separately for ¥52,500 ($450) -- no word on if it installs itself, though.

[Eric @ Sep 30th 2006 7:40AM]

Watch out for really well parked ricebuckets

[ipodrulz @ Sep 30th 2006 12:08PM]

Now if this techonology makes it... who is to blame when it malfunctions and crashes another car??

[tokyo-g @ Sep 30th 2006 1:01PM]

So this can park my car...now if they could "chip" the gadget to drive me home when I drink a few too many!

[Pork @ Sep 30th 2006 3:07PM]

I can parallel park rather quickly. Unless it can beat my time. I don't see the use of it. And isn't parallel parking a required skill for driving?

[dan @ Sep 30th 2006 5:06PM]

depending on where you live it is required.

[ROFLROFFLES @ Sep 30th 2006 8:24PM]

Next we will have cars that drive itself. Brilliant for lazy ass like me! :P

[wtf @ Sep 30th 2006 11:14PM]

Parallel parking requires skills beyond normal daily driving. In no other situation does an inch here or an inch there count. If they do, then you're driving incredibly unsafely and need to be off the road permanently.

[tekdemon @ Oct 2nd 2006 2:38AM]

Umm...no, because when you can parallel park it means you also know where the four corners of your car are. And while you might think it doesn't matter whether or not there's an inch here or there, knowing where the hell the four corners of your car are is actually a very helpful thing to know.

So when you're going down a street where someone is double parked and there's almost no clearance, you'll know where or not you have enough space to get by without breaking your own side mirrors. Or when you're pulling an evasive maneuver you'll know how much to swerve to avoid being killed by oncoming traffic, etc.

Seriously, how is it ok to not know where the heck your car physically is? You're a crap driver if you don't know, period. I'm tired of this country being so damned lax about what's required to get a license and get on the road. It's already bad enough as it is, so if they took out parallel parking all that's left is basically stomping on the gas and slamming the brakes. Ugh.

[GhostDoggy @ Oct 1st 2006 7:42AM]

Great, next they'll introduce a means to take of parenting responsibilities, too. First, no longer responsible for driving, soon babymaking.

[Jeff @ Oct 1st 2006 9:46AM]

"Great, next they'll introduce a means to take of parenting responsibilities, too. First, no longer responsible for driving, soon babymaking."

I'm afraid that has already happened. The TV took away parenting responsibility years ago. That has possibly changed to Internet now. Alcohol has always taken away the responsibility of babymaking!

[nima @ Oct 2nd 2006 3:45PM]

Hey this is my first and probably will be my only post, respond if you like.
tekdemon: it is important to know the dimensions of your car, but seriously, in crunch time when you swerve, that is gonna require a whole other set of skills i.e. reaction under pressure. The problem is, parallel parking isn't required everywhere, and even if it were, would this be so bad? I live in SF and in SF, cars are hit EVERY day in part because of idiots who cant parallel park, but imagine trying to park a large stick shift car on a steep incline/decline. It aint so easy, and you have to try to squeeze it here or you will look for parking for hours. This kind of thing is nice because it takes the guess work and bumper hits out of the equation.
I don't exactly think that the DMV is going to rethink their requirement of parallel parking (in communities where something like that is useful).

[gearflag @ Oct 3rd 2008 1:20PM]

Why don't they just invent a fully automatic parallel parking mechanism. That is including the applying of brake and gas itself. So the driver will just walk out of the car and see the car in action by itself. Until then, I doubt that driver will be comfortable in using it.

http://www.gearflag.com