Poll ranks Parallel Parking As Stressful As Christmas Shopping
Find parallel parking more stressful than a visit from the in-laws? A poll across Europe has found that parallel parking ranks right up there with some of life's most stressful moments.
New drivers across Europe rated parallel parking as stressful as Christmas shopping and twice as stressful as a visit from the in-laws and motorway driving
The system uses information from the sensors to help usher the vehicle perfectly into the parking space.
The study found that nearly one third of European drivers said they needed more than one attempt at parallel parking, with the figure rising to 41 per cent for women.
When it comes to parking, some perceptions about the sexes persist with 56 per cent of European drivers thinking men are better at parallel parking than women, while just 12 per cent said women are better parkers.
But nervous parkers have no need to worry, thanks to Ford. Active Park Assist is available on new Focus, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX models.
The new system aims to take the stress out of parallel parking by employing ten ultrasonic sensors mounted on the sides of the vehicle and on the front and rear bumpers.
The front side sensors constantly scan for gaps between cars parked at the side of the road, alerting the driver to a suitable space with an audible chime and via a visual display in the centre console.
Steering input is provided by the electronic power steering system, which means retaining control of the accelerator and brake input and selecting first or reverse gears is all the driver needs to do. The system uses information from the sensors to help usher the vehicle perfectly into the parking space.
Ford engineer Kay Muller said in a statement: "Many drivers across Europe may be terrified by the idea of parallel parking but Ford's Active Park Assist takes all the worry out of the manoeuvre,"
"At the touch of a button, it enables you to park in the smallest of spaces while at the same time reducing the risk of accidental damage to your vehicle and those surrounding it. With Active Park Assist, every motorist stays in control and can still park perfectly." She added.
Active Park Assist may not completely eliminate Europe's fear of parallel parking but could meaning Christmas shopping or a visit to the dentist can move back up the list of life's more stressful moments.
FemaleFirst Mia Bolton