Collision Avoidance and Parking Assist Systems: Description and Operation

PARKING AID

The parking aid system sounds a warning to alert the driver of stationary objects near the rear bumper when the REVERSE gear is selected. The parking aid system assists the driver in detecting certain objects while the vehicle moves slowly in REVERSE as follows: at speeds less than 3 mph, maximum range for detection is 3.5 meters (11.5 ft), at speeds more than 3 mph, maximum range for detection is 5 meters (16.5 ft). The parking aid system may not detect angular or moving objects.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

The parking aid system detects objects behind the vehicle when the vehicle is in REVERSE. The parking aid does this by calculating the distance to an object by the use of two ultrasonic sensors and one radar sensor mounted in the rear bumper. The field is emitted in a semicircular area around the rear of the vehicle. The sensors can detect objects up to 5 m (16.4 ft) to the rear of the vehicle, 50 cm. (1.6 ft) to the rear side of the vehicle, and 16 cm. (6 in) above ground. A 750 Hz variable warning tone is generated by the parking aid module speaker integrated in the parking aid module. The speaker increases its warning tone rate as the vehicle gets closer to an obstacle. When an object is detected within 45 cm. (18 inches) of the sensors, the warning tone becomes continuous.

The parking aid system is enabled when the vehicle ignition is in RUN and REVERSE gear is selected. The system will always enable when the ignition is transitioned to RUN and REVERSE gear is selected.

The parking aid system is disabled if any fault is detected. The parking aid switch indicator will illuminate for two seconds when the key is transitioned to RUN if no fault is detected. If any fault is detected, the parking aid switch indicator will flash, then constantly illuminate when the key is transitioned to RUN. The parking aid is on the universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART)-based protocol (UBP) communications network and can be diagnosed with a diagnostic tool.