What you'll learn:
- What's involved in the new AVP collaboration between BMW and Valeo.
- Specifics about the functionality of an automated valet parking system.
Automated valet parking (AVP) offers drivers and passengers a fully automated and driverless parking experience. At a drop-off zone, the driver leaves the car and the vehicle takes over tasks such as autonomously finding a parking spot and performing the necessary maneuvers for parking in and out. It also can drive back to the pick-up zone to return the vehicle back to the driver.
According to the draft of an upcoming an ISO standard, under the auspices of ISO/TC 204, AVP solutions will be clustered in two main categories: Type 1 and Type 2 systems. For a Type 1 system, the necessary technologies (including all sensors, computing units, and algorithms) run on the vehicle. For a Type 2 system, the required technologies (again including sensors and the AVP management system) are installed in the relevant infrastructure, e.g., parking facility, and the vehicle is controlled by the infrastructure.
Partners Once Again
To develop an AVP system, BMW and Valeo are taking their long-existing relationship to the next level. Last year, the companies partnered on an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) domain controller, sensors, and software for parking and maneuvering, which is scheduled to appear on BMW’s upcoming platform generation “Neue Klasse.”
Now, the two firms have signed an agreement that will focus on joint development of a next-generation parking user experience for customers on private grounds and parking facilities.
How Will It Happen?
Ranging from automated maneuver assistance to Level 4 automated valet parking, all functions will be based on technology and sensors in the car (AVP Type 1). Infrastructure-based services (Type 2) also will be jointly developed so that users can experience fully automated parking and charging in enabled public parking facilities.
The co-development of these automated parking solutions will involve more than 100 R&D specialists from both companies over the duration of the collaboration. The software functions are based on the current automated parking software stack first launched with the BMW iX in 2021.
In the next generation, the solution will be further extended by a computing platform hosting the jointly developed algorithms. The goal is to create the most advanced solutions for next-gen parking experiences up to Level 4, according to market and customer requirements.
“This joint development is an important milestone for the BMW Group with regards to our next generation of automated driving and parking,” said Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice President Driving Experience, BMW Group. “To create truly amazing end-user functions, state-of-the art software and hardware is needed in all aspects of the digital value chain, as well as the power of a fleet data ecosystem.”
Added Marc Vrecko, President of Valeo’s Comfort and Driving Assistance Systems Business Group, “We are proud of the long-term cooperation between the BMW Group and Valeo. The co-development and deployment of automated parking solutions will permit Level 4 driverless operation in BMW’s upcoming series production vehicles. Building on already commercialized software stack components, this cooperation will leverage our know-how and technologies, such as advanced AI-based computer-vision algorithms, and enable us to extend our portfolio to L4 functions as well as into cloud services.”
How Does AVP Work?
AVP can be utilized in places such as large-scale public parking facilities of shopping malls, airports, large apartment buildings, small public parking lots, or fleet-management carpools. By implementing the system into parking facilities, the service provider will be able to add other related services such as moving EVs to and from charging stations or give access to the trunk to deliver goods.
Rather than having fully automated vehicles driving around and searching for space, the system allows the service provider to govern the vehicles for improved traffic management.
AVP consists of physically separated subsystems distributed among vehicles, facility equipment, and user domains. The functionalities of AVP are realized by cooperation of these subsystems, which are, in many cases, provided by different organizations.
AVP performs Level 4 automated driving of individual or multiple unoccupied vehicles within a prescribed area of a parking facility. To optimize use of the parking time, additional services like fully automated charging or fully automated washing can be deployed. Such functionalities offer customers benefits in terms of comfort and safety.
AVP will not only provide enhanced user experiences, but it’s also expected to contribute to accident reduction, lowering energy consumption and CO2 emissions of vehicles searching for available parking spaces. On top of that, it will effectively utilize land by densely parking vehicles in the available space.