The Volkswagen Touareg can now park in and out fully automatically controlled from the outside via smartphone.
The basis of the new system is provided by the “Park Assist” parking assistant, which Volkswagen continues to offer for the Touareg. “Park Assist” enables semi-automatic parking; From parallel parking spaces (parallel to the lane), the car can also park it semi-automatically. The SUV takes over the steering; the driver presses the accelerator / electric pedal and the brake.
How VW remote Park Assist works
Volkswagen is now going a decisive step further, as the new “Park Assist Plus with remote control” works fully automatically for the first time – that is, it also controls the engine and the brake. The new system offers two modes of operation: In the first mode, the driver remains seated in the car and operates the system from there; in the second mode, he gets out of the Touareg and controls the parking process using his smartphone. In both cases, the SUV parks itself forwards or backwards in and out. And in parking spaces of any kind.
Parking while being seated
In the first mode – without activated remote control – the driver remains seated in the Touareg as usual. Example parking: The driver activates the search for a parking space on the infotainment screen by pressing the P field on the top left corner.
As soon as the Touareg detects one or more suitable parking spaces, it shows them on the infotainment screen.
Now the driver selects one of the parking spaces offered. In the digital instrument cluster of the Touareg, the message “Please apply the brake and hold the button or select remote parking” appears.
The driver now decides on the first option and presses the P AUTO button below the gear knob on the center console – parking begins.
Technically, the Touareg uses twelve ultrasonic sensors and the four cameras of the 360-degree “Area View” system. The cameras are located in the windshield, the exterior mirrors and the tailgate. Volkswagen uses what is known as “sensor fusion” here, which enables optimal object detection. The SUV can even park automatically in garages. If the “drive button” is released, the Touareg stops immediately.
Parking remotely from outside the vehicle
In the second mode, the driver gets out before actually parking. Then he uses his smartphone and the “VW Remote Park Assist Plus” app as a remote control. And this is how it works: The driver also activates the search for a parking space here in the infotainment screen via the “P” field.
Again he selects one of the parking spaces offered. If the message “Please apply the brake and hold the button or select remote-controlled parking” appears, he now decides on the second option: remote-controlled parking. He taps the option, takes the vehicle key, gets out and activates the parking process via the app. To do this, he presses the “drive button” transferred virtually from the car to the app on the smartphone – parking starts. For safety reasons, you must press and hold the “drive button” for it to work.
Driving Touareg out of narrow parking space
However, if the driver wants to drive the parked Touareg out of a narrow parking space, he no longer has to squeeze into the car. To activate automatic parking, he simply operates the engine via “VW Remote Park Assist Plus” using the “START / ENGINE / STOP” button on the smartphone.
When the engine is started, a range of maneuvers such as “Forward left” or “Forward right” appears on the mobile phone.
Now simply select the direction and activate the parking maneuver by pressing the symbol of the “drive button”. Here, too, the driver must hold the digital button consistently for safety reasons.
The parking maneuver is visually displayed on the smartphone. The luxury-class SUV Touareg is the first Volkswagen that can be driven without a driver on board.
Not working in the UK.
I’m in the UK and this doesn’t work. There’s no option to pair on the infotainment system. Asked at VW and they didn’t have a clue, they said that the car nets been changed in January.