Assisted Parking Guide: Use It or Take Over

Parking can be the most stressful part of driving — especially in tight or unusual spaces. Here's how to use Auto Exit Parking Assist (AEP) with confidence, and when it's better to take control yourself.

Ever faced a parking space that made you hesitate? You're not alone. Reversing into a tight bay is one of the most common sources of driving anxiety. If you've ever searched for parking tips or wondered how automatic parking works, this guide is for you. Assisted parking takes the stress out of tricky bays. It works best when you know which situations it handles well — and which ones need a human touch. Here's the complete guide.

Where assisted parking shines

These are the situations where you can confidently let the system do the work:

• Standard bays. Clear markings and plenty of room mean high recognition rates and smooth parking every time. This is where automatic parking works at its best. It's the everyday stuff — the supermarket car park, the office basement — where assisted parking earns its keep.

• Perpendicular and parallel spaces. The system calculates the path precisely, so you can skip the back-and-forth shunting — a genuine relief in a busy car park.

• Narrow bays. Strong sensor coverage lets the car slot into tight spaces that would have you sweating at the wheel. Keep an eye on what the sensors show on screen.

Car stackers: park manually

Mechanical parking systems — car stackers in multi-storey car parks — are a different story. Even advanced parking assistance systems struggle here. They're common in Australian CBD car parks, where space is at a premium, which is exactly why they need extra care. Their structure is complex, and the space is limited. For the safety of your car, we recommend parking manually and skipping assisted parking in these bays.

Why the extra care? Stackers usually have moving platforms, lifting mechanisms and beams that can affect how accurately the sensors read the bay. The bay's state can also change in real time, which the system may not respond to quickly enough. And with such tight tolerances, a small misjudgement can easily lead to a scrape.

If you do use a stacker, follow this advice:

• Take over before you enter. Move to manual control of steering and speed as you approach the stacker area.

• Watch your surroundings. Use the surround camera views — a 360-degree camera where fitted — to check for obstacles around the bay, such as supports, chains or fire hydrants.

• Keep it slow. Stay at or below 5 km/h and be ready to brake at any moment.

Complex surroundings: stay focused, take over if needed

In some environments, assisted parking needs your full attention — and sometimes a manual takeover. Parking sensors have limits, and it helps to know what they are. Between the high kerbs of older suburbs and the slopes of driveways, Australian parking spots are rarely uniform, so these scenarios matter:

• Overhanging obstacles. Truck bodies, fire hydrants or low-hanging decorations can sit above the sensor field. Sensors may not fully detect overhanging objects, so trust your own judgement. If you're not sure the car will clear it, get out and check before reversing.

• Small, thin obstacles. Narrow posts, guide poles, awning poles, low bollards, small trees or short stumps can fall outside the recognition range. Take an extra look.

• Changes in terrain. Low kerbs, steps, potholes, slopes, drains or ditches can affect the parking path. Uneven ground means slower and more careful manual control is safer. A quick visual check before you start makes manual parking easier.

The golden rule

Assisted parking is a tool, not a replacement for attention. It's there for your convenience, but safety always comes first. Keep your attention on the car at all times during parking, and be ready to take over at any moment. When in doubt, park manually — there's no shame in taking the wheel. A confident parking routine comes from knowing your car and its technology. Master that balance, and soon you'll handle every parking challenge with ease.

Appendix: XPILOT ASSIST