Audi had created the ultimate technology to take away the time-consuming chore of finding somewhere to park.
Finding a parking space in a multi-storey car park has just become much easier with Audi's piloted parking, or the self-parking car.
Being in the driving seat when it comes to parking involves many things:
- negotiating the ticket barrier
- keeping the ticket safe
- remembering where you parked
- having the right change to pay when leaving.
Now all these issues could be a thing of the past if Audi's wireless pilot scheme, being tried in the company's home city of Ingolstadt in Germany, is a success.
All you need to carry is a smartphone with the Audi connect app. You don't even need a wallet unless, of course, you're going shopping.
Not only does the car communicate wirelessly with the ticket barrier, using a system called Audi Connect Wireless Payment, but it can find a place to park on its own, leaving you free to head for the shops, your business meeting or a leisurely lunch with friends. Your car evens comes out of the car park to meet you when you return and activate the app.
But the scheme has a few other barriers to overcome before it is becomes an optional extra for Audis around the world, not least the legalities about autonomous vehicles on the roads. Another issue might just be the variable quality of urban wireless and mobile phone connections.
Now, where did the car park itself?