Self-parking shoot-out: Four cars put to the test in parallel and perpendicular spots

SINGAPORE – I have never been a fan of self-parking systems. The first time I experienced one was in July 2006, in a Toyota Estima Aeras. Today, several cars are equipped with it.

Other than the initial novelty, self-parking does not appeal to me. I prefer to park the old-fashioned way, subscribing to the adage: Use it or lose it.

But I accept that along with a slew of modern driving aids, self-parking can be helpful in some situations – for instance, if you are intimidated by the size of a vehicle you do not drive often. That feeling is understandable, as many modern cars – especially electric models – are extra-large.

Also, as people age, their spatial awareness becomes less keen. With Singapore’s fast-ageing population, driving aids, including self-parking, can be a boon.

Not all self-parking systems are created equal, but most of them available today are more advanced than the one I experienced back in 2006.

I approach several motor companies to ask if they will lend ST Motoring a car for a comparison, but only four agree to do so: DPL Premium Automobiles (Avatr), XPremium BEV (Xpeng), Borneo Motors (Toyota) and EV Hub (GAC). The cars are an Avatr 07, Xpeng G6, Toyota bZ4X and GAC E9, respectively.

The exercise is conducted in a fairly empty multi-storey carpark. Two other cars are used to simulate occupied parking spaces – an absolute necessity for parallel parking as there are no drawn lines in this carpark for parallel parking. Because of this, the parked vehicles are 6m apart, slightly longer than the usual parallel parking space in Singapore.

This is how each car fared.

Avatr 07

This mid-sized electric crossover from China’s Changan group is the most sophisticated. It parks speedily and precisely in perpendicular and parallel spaces.

For perpendicular parking, it lets you choose whether you wish to park more towards the left, more towards the right or in the middle. This is useful if parked vehicles on either side are not in the centre of their respective spaces.

It also offers a choice of parking speeds. The fastest setting rivals the speed of an expert driver, but comes with a slightly abrupt braking as the car nears the end of its manoeuvre.

The Avatr is adept at recognising the unmarked parallel space. But even its sophisticated software is unable to “see” the space in one instance. In such a situation, the car’s infotainment touchscreen – which projects a bird’s-eye view of the surroundings – allows the driver to drag and drop an outline of the car into an unmarked parking space.

Unlike the other cars, the Avatr is able to exit a parking space it has not recognised by itself. In other words, it can execute an exit even with the abovementioned drag-and-drop parking method.

The Avatr is also the only one of the four which can park by itself without anyone at the wheel. This is useful in tight parking spaces commonly found in older carparks. You can exit the vehicle first and then let the car slot itself into a chosen space.

Xpeng G6

The G6 – often seen as a keen rival of the Tesla Model Y crossover – is a notch below the Avatr in terms of its self-parking abilities. However, it is still more competent than many human drivers.

It has no issue with the perpendicular parking space, even if it does not offer as many parking options as the Avatr.

But because the parallel space is unmarked, it requires the drag-and-drop method for the two attempts allotted to each car. With this human assistance, the G6 can reverse into the parallel space smoothly and quite speedily.

To exit a parking space, the car has to recognise it in the first place.

Toyota bZ4X

The bZ4X mid-sized sport utility vehicle is Toyota’s first mainstream electric model here. It has a Subaru sibling called the Solterra.

For this parking exercise, the bZ4X ranks between the Avatr and the Xpeng.

Its self-parking system is very easy to use and confidence-inspiring. This should not come as a huge surprise as Toyota is a forerunner in the self-parking space.

Earlier versions required the driver to modulate speed by stepping on the brake pedal. But today, all its self-parking systems do not require any input from the driver.

The bZ4X can recognise the unmarked parallel parking space by itself if you are just the right distance away from it.

If you are not, it misses the spot, and there is no drag-and-drop alternative.

I like the fact that it activates its turn signal to indicate to other drivers on which side it is parking. It can also self-exit a parking space with no trouble.

The only thing it cannot match the Avatr in is parking without a driver at the wheel.

GAC E9

This full-sized multi-seater plugged-in hybrid is a boxy, spacious product with a luxe interior. Among its many features is self-parking.

Aside from stopping a tad too far from a barrier, the E9 has no major issue slotting itself into a perpendicular space. The driver merely has to inch the plus-sized car backwards so that its nose does not stick out too much.

But an unmarked parallel space proves to be a challenge to the car. It manages to do it once, when the cameras are not rolling, but fails at all other attempts. A replacement car does not fare much better. This may be because of a software glitch in the sensors, which the GAC agent says should be resolved in an updated model due here later.

For those looking to buy a comfy long-range (about 1,000km) people mover, this parking shortcoming should not be a deal-breaker. After all, most parallel parking spaces are marked.

What irks me a little about the car’s self-parking system is a flashing warning which suggests that the driver should be on the lookout. Of course, the driver is ultimately liable should something go awry. Not just for the E9, but for any other car.

Which is another reason I still prefer to park the old-school way.