Let’s be honest here, most of us have experienced the temptation of acting funny when using automated parking aids and now Ford is making the thing official. The Blue Oval’s latest ad sees people having some giggles while using the 2015 Focus’ Active Park Assist.
This looks more like Active Prank Assist, since people around sometimes have the tendency to panic when seeing the driver playing instead of taking care of a car that’s in the parking process. Or so we’ve heard...
Sure, the automaker is warning us to “remain vigilant” during the parking maneuver, but it’s pretty hard to concentrate when the girl behind the wheel is clapping, dancing and blowing bubble-gum bubbles.
What the 2015 Ford Focus Facelift can actually do
The pre-revamp Focus offered Active Parking Assist, which relies on ultrasonic sensors to locate parking sensors. Using the electrically-assisted steering, the system can place the car into its spot (parallel parking), while you, the driver will only have to take care of the throttle and brake.
The facelift means the system is upgraded with a Perpendicular Parking feature. With the help of two extra sensors placed in front and behind the car, the Focus can now also cover this.
Moreover, the new sensors allow the compact to bring two extra forms of assistance. The first is Cross Traffic Alert, which warns drivers reversing out of a parking spot of cars that could be coming up behind them. There’s also Park-Out Assist, which can handle the wheel for you while exiting a parallel parking space.
You should know that there are cars out there on the market that can also handle the throttle/brake, with the BMW i3 being an example as good as any. We can imagine a conversation from the future when people will be giggling about how we used to park the cars with our own hands.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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