RENAULT

Brand engineers create autonomous parking system via pedal

From button to pedal...The unavailability of the button, an essential item to keep the driver's attention and allow the commercialization of the function, would have meant the end of the project. But that wasn't an obstacle to the determination and creativity of our two engineers!

Initially, Jong-Hoon and Pape thought of adding another button. But that was impossible at that stage of the project! Mainly in the new version of the Renault Espace, whose objective was to present a cleaner central console. Another solution had been considered but was quickly abandoned: placing the Advanced Park Assist activation button below the multimedia system screen. But holding this button down with your elbow raised during the entire parking maneuver would not be very comfortable. The only alternative would be to find another way of triggering. It was then that the accelerator pedal took on a prominent role!

With Advanced Park Assist, everything is automated and you just have to keep your foot on the pedal to park.

“Using the accelerator pedal to activate the system quickly proved to be the best solution. It would allow you to keep the driver's attention and would be actuated in exactly the same way as a button. All you had to do was press the pedal to activate the maneuver and release the pedal to stop it,” says Jong-Hoon, driver assistance systems engineer at Renault.

The vehicle's commercial launch date was approaching and quick action needed to be taken. Jong-Hoon and Pape started prototyping and demonstrations of the functioning for the internal teams. They worked quickly and efficiently! The solution, which was called One pedal to park, was relevant, attractive and convincing. Customer tests were organized and the results were more than positive. “We carried out a series of tests with users, the results of which were very positive, highlighting the system's ease of use”, emphasizes Pape.

The adaptation of the solution to the pedal was done in record time, in just two months! “Changing the concept in just two months was simply unthinkable! But that's exactly what we did! In a normal situation, it would have taken two years to develop an innovation like this,” explains Jong-Hoon.

The patent was registered shortly thereafter. The definition of the architecture and functioning of the system was in charge of Jong-Hoon and Pape was responsible for the algorithm.

Jong-Hoon and Pape working on the One pedal to park solution...But the great satisfaction was that the pedal solution would do better than the button. First, because it is easier to use, as the driver no longer needs to look for the button to activate it. Another positive point is that the pressure action on the accelerator pedal is more natural. Not to mention increased safety, because if there is any problem – such as a pedestrian or animal crossing right behind the vehicle – releasing the accelerator pedal becomes instinctive. It was also possible to improve the system, with speed regulation under the control of the driver. In the previous model, the device regulated the speed through a system independent of the button. With the Advanced Park Assist associated with the One pedal to park solution, it is possible to regulate the speed up to 7 km/h. Another improvement implemented in the system allowed the maneuver to be restarted immediately, considering that the previous solution required waiting for the vehicle to be completely immobilized before the action could be restarted.

“With the pedal, we were able to go further compared to the button solution. We went from an on/off mode to a progressive control. But it wasn't easy. It was a real challenge, which allowed us to find an even better solution than what we had initially imagined,” explains Pape, algorithm engineer for driver assistance systems at Renault.

Adversity allowed Pape and Jong-Hoon to go even further, making the driver assistance device they were supposed to develop even easier to use. Confirmation that the system had been successful is its use not only in the Renault Espace, but also in the new Megane E-TECH Electric. Invisible and intuitive, it is perfectly in line with the rationalization philosophy adopted within the new model, with its minimalist design.

The new Megane E-TECH Electric is equipped with the Advanced Park Assist automatic parking system.Jong-Hoon and Pape's innovation demonstrate the creative force behind Renault's extensive intellectual property portfolio and its employees' ability to innovate.

Autonews