With the Touran, Volkswagen was the first brand to bring an automated parking assistant onto the New Zealand market. With this system, called ParkScan, the Touran can virtually parallel parks itself within 15 seconds; but the driver always retains full control.

Developed by Volkswagen, "ParkScan" enables automatic parallel parking. The intuitively operated system is activated at the press of a button. Once activated and driving by at speeds of up to 30 km/h and a distance of 0.5 to 1.5 metres to other parked cars, an ultrasonic sensor system detects all parking spaces that are parallel to the driving lane. A control unit then calculates the ideal path for parking. ParkScan notifies the driver about the starting position by showing it in the multifunction display, directly in the driver’s field of vision. The driver then engages reverse gear.

"Steering intervention active! Watch surroundings!" now appears in the display. During the entire parking process the driver only has to accelerate and brake – the vehicle does the steering. Once "Park Pilot" (park distance sensors) switch to a continuous signal for the first time, the optimal distance to the nearest vehicle is attained (approx. 20cm). The driver then engages drive and completes the parking manoeuvre.

Park Assist is instantly deactivated when the speed is too high and / or when the driver takes over steering. Once reverse gear is engaged the entire parking process normally takes a matter of only 15 seconds.

Shaun Summerfield from TV3 experienced ParkScan firsthand.
Click here to view his report.