Perhaps the most universally loathed parking situation, the parallel park, is about to get a whole lot easier—so easy, you might just start doing it voluntarily. The 2016 Toyota Prius has some excellent driver’s assistance features that are going to make parallel parking fears drift off into the ether: available Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS) work together to basically park your vehicle for you, with oversight and minor input on your behalf. Your parking skills will be so smooth, we recommend taking full credit for them yourself; we promise we won’t tell.
When you’re parking your 2016 Prius and you’ve got available IPA and ICS systems, you’re set up for success. Once you line your vehicle up with a free space and engage the system, the ICS will scan the area for immobile objects, like a parked car or a wall. If it detects you getting too close to something or suspects a collision might be imminent, the system will give you an audible alert and begin applying the brakes while cutting motor/engine output. If the system sees the path is all-clear, the IPA will take control of the steering to help guide your Prius gently into the open space, but you are responsible for controlling the brakes and overseeing the system.
Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned driver with years of experience or a fresh driver still learning the ropes, parallel parking can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Come see Laurel Toyota in Johnstown, PA to get behind the wheel of your own 2016 Prius with available Intelligent Parking Assist and Intelligent Clearance Sonar. The next time you square off with a challenging parking spot, you’ll be glad to have them on your side.
