BMW is to showcase new tech dubbed ‘Remote Valet Parking Assistant’ that promises to let owners park their cars in multi-storey car parks… using a smartwatch.
And they won’t even have to be in the car to do it!
The ‘driverless’ technology combines onboard laser scanners with GPS data of the car park to valet-park the BMW entirely by remote control.
The car will be steered into the car park bay and will even be able to drive up and down multi storey levels remotely.
All the driver needs to do is tap a button on their smartwatch.
They’ll be able to order the car back to them on return too, rather than walking through the parking bay to reach it: complex algorithms can, says BMW, calculate the exact moment the driver will reach the car park so the car is waiting for them.
BMW says the system will even be able to dodge cars that are parked incorrectly, and will automatically lock the doors when the driver leaves so the car is secure.
As we all battle through the nightmare of Christmas shopping, it sounds like the answer to our prayers. Just one problem – it’s not yet ready for market.
BMW will instead be showcasing it as part of its BMW Innovations display at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
It’s certainly clever technology and, it seems, largely uses technology already present in today’s cars, just more intelligently. Theoretically, then, it could come to market sooner that than later.
The legislative challenge of driverless cars running around multi-storey car parks in city centres may be a tougher nut to crack…
