Any Tips for Auto Park Success?

[233.3]

So far I have to say this feature is not operational. I have spent a lot of time on several occasions deliberately driving though parking lots and on street with parallel parking, at the correct speeds, trying to get the system to trigger. Only 4 times was I able to get the P to show up. Twice it went away before I was able to initiate Auto Park. The other two times, once parallel and once in a lot, it initiated but failed to make it into the space. Cars detected in lots always show up looking like cars in an adjacent lane, parallel to my direction instead of perpendicular.

My search uncovered posts on Auto Park that make it seem that others are at least getting it to initiate, even if it is not without problems once it does. I also found a YouTube video where it did not always detect a spot but it did detect at a far higher rate than I have been able to achieve. Any tips?

 

[idoco]

I would say I get better than 98% activation with my MX.

Tips:

1. You want to be fairly close to the parked car. Maybe a foot between your passenger side mirror and their driver side mirror.
2. Pull forward more than you think. Your front wheels should be even with or past the rear wheels of the car in front of the car you are parking behind.

 

[233.3]

1. You want to be fairly close to the parked car. Maybe a foot between your passenger side mirror and their driver side mirror.

I have not been that close. I will give that a try on the way home this evening. If it activates I'll pull forward as you suggest.

Any luck, tips in parking lots?

 

[TimeOut]

Agreed, you have to go further past the space than you really expect. today, I didn't go far enough past and back past the empty space I wanted and selected the next space.

Additionally, for backing in 'perpendicular' parking, there must be two cars, one on either side of the empty space. At least that is my experience. I haven't tried parallel parking yet, not that much in my area.

 

[jjrandorin]

I have not been that close. I will give that a try on the way home this evening. If it activates I'll pull forward as you suggest.

Any luck, tips in parking lots?

The "being close to the cars you are attemping to park in between" is the big one. The autopark ALWAYS makes a 3 point reverse park. If you were parking yourself, you likely are far enough away to reverse into it in one go (if you back in all the time). The car always fully cuts the wheel, gets really close to one of the cars on the side, then stops, then pulls forward, then backs in (for perpendicular parking).

Also as mentioned there MUST be 2 cars there. You cant park between 1 car and a blank space, or 1 car and a curb / island for perpendicular parking), I have not done parallel parking because I dont park on the street if I can avoid it, even if I have to park further or pay to park instead... so I am usually able to avoid parking on the street where parallel parking normally occurs where I am.

 

[233.3]

Getting close did the trick. I was able to trigger auto park on 2/2 attempts. The first time the car made it into the space without problem. It is supper slow though. The second time I had to hit the brake because it nearly backed into the far car. Maybe it would have stopped in time and started its move forward but it was too close for comfort and still moving backward.

 

[idoco]

Maybe it would have stopped in time and started its move forward but it was too close for comfort and still moving backward.

I always "hover" my foot over the brake while parking. As for speed once it makes the first backup move and is setup for the rest I'll frequently take over and finish. The first backup move is the hardest. The rest is easy.