BMW i3 2015 Park assistant - How to manage parking speed?

[AutomaticParkingMan]

TLDR; Help needed to safely use the park assistant. – It's too fast and would benefit from gentle braking option to slow it down. Is this possible?

TL;
Hello fellow i3ers! I just recently bought a used i3 2015 with Rex after long study of the car and features. Extremely happy with the car. - My car came with "Park assistant", "Park assistance packace", "backup camera" and "Park distance control (pdc)".

After first time trying out the park assistant I felt really surprised how agressively it tried to park the car. In my opinion it handles the parking way too fast and gives a very little time to react to any sudden obstacles or living things popping up in the camera. I would feel more safe using the feature if I was able to control its speed.

In my first try I panicked and pressed the brake pedal, which instantly stopped the whole parking process. Is there a way to allow the park assistant to progress gradually?

I mean something like pressing the brake to slow down the parking. This would give time to evaluate the situation by looking at the sensor reading and camera and to tell whether or not it is going to destroy my wheels by rubbing them on the kerb. I read that i3 is quite fearless of the kerb. :/

Any ideas to smoothen the park assistant operation are welcome. Also any tips and tricks how you use the park assistant and when (when not) are also helpfull.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Interesting...some others have complained it took too long, and they felt exposed while the thing parked, blocking traffic in the process. While it's on mine, I've never actually used it, so can't say one way or the other.

 

[KrisM]

I will try it one of the upcoming days, I had this option for over 3 years on my M135i Xd and never used it or even try to use it.
Since I have the option again on the i3 I will try to use it just out of curiosity, I will report back if it was slow or fast .

 

[AutomaticParkingMan]

Thanks for the replies! Kris just a note, make sure you dont let the park assistant to damage your wheels hitting a kerb, that has been reported. So try it first maybe some flat side parking space to get a feel of it. GL.

 

[KrisM]

Thanks for the replies! Kris just a note, make sure you dont let the park assistant to damage your wheels hitting a kerb, that has been reported. So try it first maybe some flat side parking space to get a feel of it. GL.

Thanks for that remark, then I will try it first on a warehouse parking or so.

 

[CharonPDX]

Interesting...some others have complained it took too long, and they felt exposed while the thing parked, blocking traffic in the process. While it's on mine, I've never actually used it, so can't say one way or the other.

This is me - I find that it takes FAR too long to get started. Once it's actually going, it's what I would consider "a reasonable speed," although the end stop is a bit harsh most times.

 

[AutomaticParkingMan]

Now 10+ automatic parkings later, I can report I have not been able to replicate the aggressiveness of my first parking try.

May be because the first try I did in comfort mode and lately moved to use eco pro when I drive. This might make a difference. Next time I find a easy'n'kerbless parking spot I will try the comfort autoparking again to see if it is the root cause for my initial panic experience.

After a few tries I learned how to see instantly if there is a chance that the autopark will hit the kerb.

I think the outcome can be altered by starting the autopark closer or further away from the side of the car in the front.

If the parking is started closer to the adjacent car, so will the angle of the parking be less harsh I think. Further away to the side started parking might be a bit more risky for the wheels kerb wise, as then the angle will be larger. Maybe just my imagination though.

Anyway, I haven't had any problems with the autopark since, but will still keep on keeping an eye on the red curve of the backup camera to stop any close call entrances.

 

[eNate]

After a few tries I learned how to see instantly if there is a chance that the autopark will hit the kerb.

I think the outcome can be altered by starting the autopark closer or further away from the side of the car in the front.

If the parking is started closer to the adjacent car, so will the angle of the parking be less harsh I think. Further away to the side started parking might be a bit more risky for the wheels kerb wise, as then the angle will be larger. Maybe just my imagination though.

I'll have to play with this feature. I have self-parking on my Ford Flex (2013). Except, of course, I have to select the gear and control the brake. On the Flex, I've determined that it estimates the curb's position based on an assumed "standard width" of the car it's parking behind. It can't actually sense the curb. So if I'm parking behind a narrow Smart car (or row of trash cans lined up on the curb, or a car whose driver intentionally parked with their wheels on the sidewalk), there's a good probability it'll hit the curb.

Difference being, since I'm required to meter the brake force during the whole maneuver, I'm in a good spot to catch it and stop it before my rims are rashed. And similar to the complaints I'm seeing about the i3, it's far easier and faster to park the Flex the old fashioned way.