Skip to main content

New research predicts growth of autonomous parking technology

New research by ABI Research forecasts that shipments of new cars featuring autonomous parking technologies to grow at 35 per cent CAGR between 2016 and 2026 and for revenues to likewise show growth at 29.5 per cent CAGR. ABI Research identifies three phases of autonomous parking, with each successive stage set to gradually displace the former and all three coexisting to some degree over the next decade. Ultimately, technology will reach a point in which the car parks itself entirely, with no driver assi
March 9, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
New research by 5725 ABI Research forecasts that shipments of new cars featuring autonomous parking technologies to grow at 35 per cent CAGR between 2016 and 2026 and for revenues to likewise show growth at 29.5 per cent CAGR.

ABI Research identifies three phases of autonomous parking, with each successive stage set to gradually displace the former and all three coexisting to some degree over the next decade. Ultimately, technology will reach a point in which the car parks itself entirely, with no driver assistance or presence within the car required. In Phase 1, the car will provide steering assistance with the driver still inside the vehicle and in control. Phase 2 shows autonomous parking with the driver outside the vehicle but still in control, and Phase 3 introduces autonomous valet parking in which the driver leaves the vehicle at the entrance of a car park. The car then parks itself and waits for the driver to summon it when it’s time to leave.

According to James Hodgson, research analyst at ABI Research, passive assistance from ultrasonic sensors and exterior cameras are becoming standard features in most new car models in developed regions. As more manufacturers turn toward more autonomous parking solutions, OEMs continue to heavily push for consumer education on the systems’ safety benefits and added convenience, to convince them of the value of the concept.

The 1765 American Automobile Association (AAA) recently published survey results that suggest that 80 per cent of American drivers believe their own parking abilities to be adequate. Only 25 per cent of respondents would trust a self-parking system to replace them in the parking manoeuvre.

“The market could see a spike in consumer adoption of autonomous parking technology if drivers are drawn by correlated lower insurance costs,” continues Hodgson. “Given the empirical evidence demonstrating the superiority of autonomous parking, cars fitted with such technologies may yield lower insurance premiums, as the market experienced with other ADASs, such as autonomous emergency braking.”

Phase 2 technologies are evident in the January 2016 launch of the Tesla OTA Summon auto park feature, as well as BMW’s recent launch of Remote Control Parking on flagship 7 Series in certain regions. While current Phase 2 technologies are limited in ability, as current car systems can only move the car forward and backward at a distance of a few meters and cannot turn the car, it is an important step forward in that it successfully parks the car with the driver removed.

“As the market moves toward the new future of driverless vehicles, parking will remain an important function, but the evolution could bring about big change,” concludes Hodgson.

“Car parks will theoretically not need to be close to the driver’s final destination once cars can park themselves without driver observation or control. This could signify larger social advantages for crowded areas, as inner cities may soon be able to reclaim parking spaces for other purposes. At the same time, the need for parking spaces may ultimately disappear altogether as shared driverless vehicles drop off and pick up customers in a near continuous way.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Growing acceptance of autonomous driving ‘allows for growth opportunities’
    April 14, 2016
    New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Strategic Outlook of Global Autonomous Driving Market in 2016, indicates that the autonomous driving market is all set to receive a huge boost with 80 per cent of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) looking to finalise their automation technology roadmap in 2016. This trend is expected to pave the way for new business models in the automotive ecosystem. Once the market establishes a conducive testing environment and develops improved sensing capabilities, t
  • Connected nav shipments to reach 27 million by 2016
    April 17, 2012
    Connected infotainment will be dominated by connected navigation, with global shipments reaching 27 million by 2016, according to a new report from ABI Research. However, widespread interest in multimedia streaming, social media integration, and in-car Wi-Fi is still unproven.
  • Johnson Controls says US consumers are interested in start-stop systems
    May 18, 2012
    New consumer research conducted by Johnson Controls claims that 97 per cent of Americans are ready for new start-stop technology that improves the fuel economy of their vehicle. The research was conducted to gain understanding of how consumers view fuel-saving power train technologies based on attributes such as purchase price, fuel economy, annual fuel cost and performance. Focus groups across US major metropolitan areas, along with 1,200 survey respondents, provided feedback on efficient vehicle technolog
  • Researchers accidentally discover how to convert pollution into fuel
    October 20, 2016
    In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have accidentally developed an electrochemical process that uses tiny spikes of carbon and copper to turn carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into ethanol. The team used a catalyst made of carbon, copper and nitrogen and applied voltage to trigger a complicated chemical reaction that essentially reverses the combustion process. With the help of the nanotechnology-based catalyst which