Bosch, Daimler to Demo Autonomous Parking Valet at Mercedes Museum

Robert Bosch GmbH and Daimler AG are partnering on a pilot program that autonomously summons and parks vehicles at the Mercedes-Benz museum’s garage in Stuttgart, Germany.

The program, which will launch early next year, will be the first fully automated valet parking service operating in real-world conditions, according to the partners. Users will reserve a specially equipped Mercedes vehicle via a smartphone app and arrange for it to autonomously drive to the garage’s pickup area at the appointed time.

Upon their return, users exit the vehicle and leave it in the drop-off zone. The garage’s intelligent communication system then will identify the vehicle and guide to its assigned parking space.

Sensors installed in the parking garage monitor the driving corridor and its surroundings while guiding the vehicle. The technology in the car converts the commands from the garage infrastructure into driving and parking maneuvers, while automatically stopping the vehicle to avoid obstacles.

Bosch is supplying the garage sensors and communications technology. Daimler will provide the test vehicles. The two companies are working together to define the interface between infrastructure and the vehicle, and to modify the vehicles’ sensor technology and software.

Bosch says other existing parking garages can be retrofitted with the infrastructure technology. In addition to time and convenience benefits for drivers, garages with automated valet services can accommodate as many as 20% more vehicles by parking them closer together.