Self-parking car could prevent car insurance claims

Posted :12-10-2005

Toyota's first self-parking car is on its way to the UK - to audible sighs of relief from frustrated British motorists.

The Japanese have been able to park their cars better than Britons for some time now - thanks to Toyota's revolutionary Prius model, which uses advanced technology to park the car without the driver needing to touch the wheel.

All the Prius owner needs to do is pull up to a space and push a button and the car then uses a series of electronic sensors to gauge the distances between vehicles, taking over the steering and the accelerator and leaving the driver to simply brake when the car is in place.

Even then, the car can judge when it has gone too far.

When it finally arrives in the UK after being launched in Japan in 2003, the new model will come as a great relief to nervous parkers who frequently bounce of stationary obstacles such as kerbs, posts and other cars when attempting to park successfully.

Even small paint-jobs can cost car owners large amounts to fix, with larger accidents sometimes requiring an insurance claim – a problem the Prius may be able to solve.

However, as the new system will cost an extra £2,500 on top of the price of a new Toyota, many Britons may well be searching out cheaper car insurance to help compensate for the payout.


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