Poll Shows One in Three Can’t Parallel Park at the First Attempt

Ford System Makes it Stress-Free

Call it “parkophobia”, the nerve-jangling, sweat-inducing feeling that grips drivers as they try in vain to parallel park, often with impatient motorists behind and amused onlookers on the pavement.

A Ford Motor Company-commissioned poll across Europe confirmed that parallel parking ranks right up there with some of life’s most stressful moments to many motorists.

Headline findings of the survey by leading research company TNS include:    

12% of UK women drivers felt parallel parking was more stressful than a job interview and a visit to the dentist

66% of men think they are better parallel parkers whereas 17% of women think they are better - overall, 55% of drivers think men are better whilst 10% think women are better

Only 3% of men rated women higher whereas 42% of women rated men higher

50% of women admitted needed more than one attempt whilst only 29% of men admitted this

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

Ford commissioned the survey to determine how motorists truly feel about parallel parking. 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 system takes 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. 

Retaining control of the accelerator and brake input and selecting first or reverse gears is all the driver needs to do. Steering input is provided by the electronic power steering system, which uses information from the sensors to help usher the vehicle perfectly into the parking space. Parking manoeuvres can be carried out at speeds of up to 10km/h and the system is designed to park 150mm from the kerb to avoid damage to wheels and tyres.

“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,” says Ford engineer Kay Müller.

“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.

” Active Park Assist may not totally eliminate Europe’s fear of parallel parking but for those who experience the benefits of this advanced technology, perhaps Christmas shopping or a visit to the dentist can move back up the list of life’s more stressful moments.