A self-parking system could be available on Citroën cars within four years. Called City Park, it is expected to cost about £1,000 as an option. It uses three laser sensors — two at the front and one at the rear — and is controlled by two buttons on the dashboard.
Pressing the first button allows the sensors to measure the distance between two parked vehicles and informs drivers when they have room to park. This can be done while driving past a row of vehicles at speeds of up to 16mph. A display screen and sound signal indicate when the car has found a space.
The second button activates the parking aid. The car moves by itself and its steering wheel turns automatically, with the driver’s contribution restricted to applying the brakes and selecting first or reverse gear according to beeps and instructions on the display screen.
Self-parking technology is already available as an option on the Toyota Prius in Japan. However, it is not available in Britain although the company says that it may be featured on the later-generation Priuses due to arrive within the next two years. Citroën’s system is currently being tested on the C3 (left) and the company hopes to begin offering it first as an option on its small urban runabouts.
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It is likely to be rolled out across all Citroën and Peugeot models in the future.