Many drivers have been involved in minor accidents a couple of times when parking their vehicles. That is more of the case for inexperienced drivers, especially when parking in tight spots. The introduction of parking sensors has dramatically reduced the number of car accidents that occur in the parking lots. Parking sensors are generally proximity sensors that are fitted in vehicles. They are designed to alert the driver of the proximity of the car to other objects, which allows the driver to react appropriately on time and avoid hitting or scratching the objects.
Types of Parking Sensors
Parking sensors can be categorized into three types. Each type of sensor comes with its pros and cons, which are what you should consider when choosing in case you wish to install parking sensors in your ride. The three types are ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and cameras.
Ultrasonic Parking Sensors
Ultrasonic sensors produce high-frequency sounds that are inaudible to humans. The sound produced bounces off any nearby object, and the sound signal goes back to the sensor. How long the signal bounced from an object takes to reach the sensor is used to determine the object’s distance from the sensor. If the object is too close to the car, the system will produce a beeping sound to alert the driver.
These sensors employ a similar system to that used by animals such as dolphins and bats. It is quite an effective system even though it comes with a few drawbacks. The advantages are it is inexpensive and works at a standstill. The disadvantages are it is clunky and has tunnel vision.
Electromagnetic Parking Sensors
An electromagnetic sensor works in an almost similar way as the ultrasonic sensors. The main difference is that instead of sending out sound waves, the electromagnetic sensor produces an electromagnetic field that surrounds the car. Any object that gets into the electromagnetic field is detected, and the driver gets notified via an alarm system. The main advantages of this type of parking sensors are that they are more versatile and more accurate at detecting objects. The main disadvantage is that it is quite expensive.
Parking Cameras
Parking cameras may not technically be considered as sensors, in that they do not warn the driver of any nearby objects, but they do aid in parking as well. They give the driver more control due to increased visibility. Some of the most advanced systems can detect objects in the images captures by the cameras and warn the driver. That helps when the driver’s eyes are not focused on the screen. The main advantage of cameras is that they allow the driver to make more informed moves as opposed to reacting to a warning. The disadvantage is that they rely on the ability of the driver to view the situation.