Self-Parking Cars

Back in October 2001 NewScientist.com ran a story on self-parking cars and suggested that they were just around the corner.

Unfortunately that corner was a few kilometres further away than NewScientist.com realised but now they really are just round the corner if you live in the US – or parking right outside your house if you live in the UK.

In the UK vehicles that are able to parallel park themselves are a reality and for just $700 extra you can buy a Toyota Prius fitted the accessory. The driver is still responsible for speed and braking but turning the wheel is all handled by the technology.

You can read the full story – and see the video – here.

The technology hasn’t arrived in the US just yet but it’s not far away – while for us here in Australia … well it’s probably still around the corner and several kilometres down the road.