Looking for a parking spot can be maddening, especially when you’re in a hurry. According to Volkswagen on average Germans spend 41 hours a year looking for parking, but think of how much easier it would be if you’re car just parked for you. VW has announced that it is testing a autonomous parking system in a multi-story parking garage near Hamburg Airport.
The autonomous pilot test is being done with Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles and is part of the mobility partnership with the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg that aims to develop Hamburg as a model city for urban mobility. VW’s goal is for customers to be able to autonomously park their vehicles in the garage at the beginning of the next decade.
“With new mobility solutions we want to give people more time and quality of life by reducing the time spent and stress in road traffic,” stated Johann Jungwirth, Chief Digital Officer of the Volkswagen Group. “Our vision is mobility that is available to everyone, everywhere and at all times at the press of a button – and autonomous vehicles play a decisive role here. People currently spend around 30 percent of their driving time in urban areas looking for a parking space. Autonomous parking like we are testing here at Hamburg Airport is an important step on the way to autonomous driving – as an integrated full-service concept via an app. We are putting a consistent focus on people and their needs.”
In the pilot test, users can book a parking space at Hamburg Airport using an app and then simply just leave their car at the entrance to the parking garage. From there the vehicle looks for a parking space on its own, while the driver heads to the airport terminal. While the vehicle is waiting for its owner to return, packages can be ordered and stowed in the vehicle’s trunk and even your dry cleaning can be hung in the back.
Source: Volkswagen