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Mini Cooper hardtop gets parking assistance and collision warning systems
It feels like the last time we thought about the Mini Cooper, it was pulling bank jobs with Mark Wahlberg. Since then, the diminutive coupe has apparently outgrown its rebellious phase and is now thinking about more mature notions, like safety. At next month's LA Auto Show, the 2014 hardtop will debut a new collision warning system that employs cameras -- instead of the feature's typical sonar tech -- for accident sensing, a video-based adaptive cruise control system and even auto-dimming headlamps. Nothing exactly new for automobiles, but definitely shiny features for the Mini line. For full details on these as well as the new assisted parking system, HUD and more, make sure to hit the PR after the break. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to shut down the real Napster.
Valeo Park4U turns your phone into a valet parking service (video)
Assisted parking's all the rage these days -- because the car parks itself, it seems trivial to remain in the car at all. That, friends, is the crux of why Valeo has produced Park4U: an iOS / Android app that remotely parks your car. Enter the app and begin the reversing process, and boom -- much like Houdini's best -- it takes care of the rest. The system's currently available on a limited number of Volkswagen-group models including the Touran, Sharan, Audi A6, Audi A7 and the Seat Alhambra, and the company is planning to have 38 models equipped with the tech by year's end. Practical considerations aside -- and there are several -- at least you won't need a friend to stand behind your car and holler before you hit the rear wall. Not buying it? Perhaps the video after the break will drive it home. [Thanks, Texas]
