Are you a driver who often has to maneuver in tight spaces at the risk of damaging the car? Having decided to pay attention to parking sensors, you did the right thing. And this article is for you!
Content
Why do I need parking sensors
Parking radar, or parking sensors, is used to warn the driver about the dangerous proximity to the car of various kinds of obstacles. It consists of a set of sensors and two units: control and indication. Each sensor emits ultrasonic waves that, when they meet any objects, are reflected from them. From the delay time between the radiation and the receipt of the reflected signal, the distance to the obstacle is calculated.
Advantages and disadvantages
However, it also has disadvantages:
- sensors covered with ice, dust, snow can give erroneous information;
- unreliable detection of objects with a small reflective surface - chains, cables.
How to choose the right
To get exactly what you need, it is useful to get acquainted with the options that can be found on the market today.
Sensors
The main factor determining the reliability of the device is the number of sensors that are usually mounted in the rear and front bumpers. Dual sensor radars are the cheapest. However, this amount is not enough to "probe" the entire space in the direction of movement. For reliable operation, at least four sensors are required.
Indication
According to the method of indication, the radars can be sound, optical and digital. In the first case, the driver is warned by an intermittent beep. By the frequency of its filing and volume, you can judge the distance to the subject.
For optical indications, LEDs are used, which are installed in a mirror or on a separate screen and, depending on the distance to the obstacle, have a different color. Many parking radars combine sound and optical indications for greater reliability.
The most convenient is the digital display. In this case, the device is equipped with an LCD display, the screen of which displays the distance to the object (with an accuracy of 0.1 m). In addition, a car image is often displayed. From it you can determine exactly where the obstacle is. Usually there is a sound indication.
Additional amenities
For convenient operation, many parking sensors have additional functions, such as:
- self-diagnosis;
- volume control;
- voice notification;
- memorization of remote elements;
- the ability to connect a camera.
Self-diagnostics is an automatic monitoring of the health of sensors and warning the driver if necessary.
The presence of the volume control allows you to change its level depending on the situation, and if a voice alert is provided, then a person will inform about the danger.
In the presence of memorization of external elements, the driver can enter information about the presence of a tow bar or spare wheel on the rear surface of the body to avoid false alarms.
Often, connecting a rear view camcorder can help. It will allow the driver to consider the obstacle and assess its severity. After all, it can turn out to be either dense grass or just a snowdrift.
What else to consider when buying
When choosing parking sensors, it is useful to take into account your driving experience. A beginner should be safe and purchase a device with a maximum number of sensors and a detection range, which for different radars can be from 1.5 to 2.5 m.
If there is a limitation in cash, you will have to dwell on options with sound and LED alarms, although a radar with an LCD display is more convenient.
For those who do not have to squeeze between cars when parking, a device with a minimum response range of 30 cm may be suitable, as in most radars in today's market. Otherwise, you need to choose parking sensors that are triggered by 20 cm or even closer.
So, if the driver can choose a parking radar taking into account his features and his practice, then he will easily and quickly put the car in the most difficult place.
Happy driving and trouble-free parking!
