Parktronics for cars: types, characteristics, installation and reviews

In modern urban conditions, driving a car requires considerable skill - personal transport is increasing every day, and freedom for maneuver - all the less. And if drivers still manage to drive, then putting the car in a parking lot or just stopping near a store is a difficult task, requiring a good eye and speed of decision making. Just to facilitate this problem, parktronics for cars are designed. Today we will talk about them in more detail.

What is it needed for

Parktronic, or parking radar, serves to alert the driver that his car is too close to another car or obstacle. The device is quite simple, but very useful in situations with reduced visibility and in cramped places. In addition, modern cars, in view of the fact that almost all of them - with front-wheel drive, have a long front overhang and a sloping bonnet, which is often not visible from the driver's seat. In addition, to please designer design, the rear window is made small in size, especially in sedans (there the luggage compartment edge is not visible). All this creates discomfort and the need to "estimate" the distance to an extraneous object "by eye". Sometimes it does not always end successfully. As a result, scratches from close contacts appear on the bumpers.

How it works

Constructively, the parking sensor is an ultrasonic radar, the sensors of which are simultaneously emitters. They produce ultrasonic waves and take their reflections. By the return time of the reflected signal, the device determines the distance to the obstacle. Most modern cars are still equipped with this simple device at the factory. But on any old cars you can install it. The only question is to find out what parktronics are on the car.

Kinds

The system consists of several sensors, a switching unit and an information panel. Sensors can be located on the front and / or rear bumper - in the most problematic, in demand zones, mentioned above. Sensors per zone can be from two to four. Two pieces that are located in the corners - the most economical and cheap option. But in the center a blind zone is formed, which is not controlled at all. There is a risk of crashing into, say, a pipe protruding from the ground. Three sensors on the bumper are already a more reliable solution. But the best option is four elements at an equal distance from each other. Thus, the whole area of the bumper is controlled completely. According to the owners, such a system is the most common and convenient.

Notification systems

The information screen, in fact, is a system for alerting the driver to the presence of an obstacle. Structurally it is a box with a screen on which the car and sensors located on bumpers are symbolically depicted, depending on the equipment. In addition to the symbols on the screen, an audio signal can additionally be used . Thus, there are three types of alerts:

• Sound.
• Optical.
• Symbolic.

The first view is the simplest. If there is an obstacle in the radar range (from 2.5 m to 25 cm), an intermittent signal will sound. As the obstacle (or the car approaches it), the signal begins to increase. With close proximity to the bumper, the sound becomes continuous. With the help of such a system it is convenient to park by ear, but if with hearing problems or loud music plays, the benefits of parking sensors are significantly reduced. The next system is optical. It is a strip of LEDs of different colors, from green to red, according to the proximity of the object. These bands are located on the right and left on the information screen and correspond to the location of obstacles on the corresponding sides of the car. Digital display - the screen on which the figures are displayed - the distance in meters to the object. Numbers are often duplicated by sound indication and LED strips. The system has the possibility of various switching options. In some situations, digital display is not too necessary, or, conversely, when driving in traffic, it is desirable to turn off the audio warning, otherwise parktronik will constantly squeak. The owners' feedback indicates that all three systems are equally convenient and the comfort of use often depends on the driving experience.

Models

The types of parktronics on the car are very diverse, but they are all divided into different groups, which should be mentioned:

• The first group is parktronics for cars, the indicators of which are built into the rear-view mirror and represent strips of columns from horizontal dashes of different colors. They will light up one by one as the car approaches the obstacle.
• The second, more advanced version - a parking sensor, combined with a rear-view camera. In this model, the information display is a digital screen, which displays a picture from the camera located behind (and sometimes - in front). Unfortunately, the camera lens can become polluted in bad weather, which will not happen with conventional sensors - they are not afraid of such weather changes.
• The latest models of parktronics have not point, but tape sensors. Such sensors are very easy to install and do not stand out so much on the bumper, which makes them more and more popular.

Modern parktronics for cars are often equipped with additional functions. Usually they carry redundant and unnecessary information (clock, compass). When choosing the right model for parktronics, it is better to focus on the model with maximum functionality and user-friendliness.

What to look for

Before you choose a parking for the car, you should pay attention to the zone that it will serve. Often the values for the front and back are different. It is also necessary to check the conformity of the temperature regime and humidity to the conditions of the forthcoming operation. The sensors installed in the bumper of the car must have the same color, in the extreme case - the same shade, so as not to stand out from the appearance of the car. Information screen should fit organically into the interior and harmonize with it. Ideally, it looks like a regular, factory detail. Now on sale there is a great variety of models, and it is not difficult to find a suitable copy.

Installation

Currently, the installation of parktronics on the car is a fairly common service in specialized service centers. The work is not too complicated and is mainly related to pulling wires from the sensors to the switching block and the information screen. Boring holes in the bumpers are also drilled. If you install the parking sensor on the car, the price will depend heavily on the installation kit, as well as the type and size of the car. The kit can include both the element itself and the "heaped" system with one or two cameras and a screen. Installation of parktronics on a car in Moscow will cost from 2500 to 4000 rubles for the simplest version with four sensors from the rear. For the option with the camera will have to pay 5-8 thousand rubles.

Self-assembly

Of course, you can save and install parking sensors on the car yourself (in the instructions, everything is described in sufficient detail). However, this work is associated with disassembly and assembly of the interior, and often - and removing the bumper. In addition, to connect the device you need to crash into the on-board electrical system. Therefore, before you start, it is desirable to estimate your skills.

Conclusion

As you can see, parktronics for auto is a popular and popular option. In the modern rhythm of life, it passes from the category of luxury to the necessary object, greatly facilitating life.