For some time now, car manufacturers have been offering self-parking systems that can bring a vehicle into a parking space without the driver's intervention. However, Chinese automaker IM Motors is developing a new technology that is different from anything currently available.
The company recently took to Chinese social media and shared a short video of a camouflaged electric prototype in a parking garage. In the video, a woman with a bouquet of flowers steps out of the passenger door, and after closing the door, the car smoothly pulls to the side, straight into a parking space.
A closer look reveals that the system is not as automated as you might think. The driver sits behind the wheel of the limousine, and shortly after closing the door, turns left. Since the front wheels were already pointing to the left, this movement of the steering wheel appears to have caused the rear wheels to turn towards the parking space, but in the opposite direction to the front wheels.
Combined with electric motors that drive the front wheels forward and the rear wheels backward, this allows the sedan to drive sideways into space. The days of conventional parallel parking may be numbered.
Details on the car featured in the fascinating test are limited, but it appears to be similar in shape and size to the brand's current L6 electric sedan. However, the presence of camouflage on the prototypes suggests that it is a new version or perhaps a completely separate model. It's also unknown when or if IM Motors plans to bring its easy parking solution to the masses.
