Parking sensor

Often you don't see where the body ends and begins. Some vehicles are equipped with distance sensors.

Modern car body shapes are designed in such a way that the driver's field of view when parking is limited.

These devices make it easier to maneuver in narrow parking lots and crowded garages. Such a system works like an echo sounder. Sensors located in the bumpers, containing a piezoelectric element integrated with an integrated circuit, emit ultrasounds at a frequency of 25-30 kHz every 30-40 ms, which return as an echo after reflection from a stationary object. In this stance, the distance to the obstacle is calculated.

The range of the device is from 20 to 180 cm. It is activated automatically when the reverse gear is engaged, and in the case of the forward gear being engaged after the speed drops below 15-20 km/h. The user can also usually turn them on and off with a button.

There are various ways of signaling the size of the safe distance: acoustic, light or combined. The sound volume, color or height of the colored bars on the display depend on how much space is left to the wall or bumper of another car. In general, when approaching them at a distance of less than 35-20 cm, the driver hears a continuous signal and sees flashing characters on the screen.

Sensors with a diameter of about 15 mm can be placed only in the rear bumper, then there are 4-6 of them, or also in the front bumper - then their total number is 8-12. The parking sensor is part of the original equipment of the car or part of the offer of companies that produce additional accessories.