Ford to Eliminate Parallel Parking Assist options

[SyndicateZ]

Say goodbye to the driver-assist parallel parking feature.

"Very, very few people are using it. So we can remove that feature. It's about $60 per vehicle,another $10 million per year (in savings)," Kumar Ghalhotra, Ford chief operating officer, said Tuesday in an effort to illustrate how Ford is making little changes for big savings.

 

[Hellwig]

I am not even interested in lane keeping and adaptive cruise control.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Say goodbye to the driver-assist parallel parking feature.

"Very, very few people are using it. So we can remove that feature. It's about $60 per vehicle,another $10 million per year (in savings)," Kumar Ghalhotra, Ford chief operating officer, said Tuesday in an effort to illustrate how Ford is making little changes for big savings.

Ford has to figure-out how to pay for the millions of safety recalls issued for the past three years.

 

[GixxerJasen]

How to parallel park.
Step 1. Keep driving till you find normal parking.

I am not even interested in lane keeping and adaptive cruise control.

Oh my goodness, my Expy is in the shop and I have an F150 loaner and it's got regular cruise control and I'm so spoiled that I hate it, I want my adaptive back.

 

[Hellwig]

How to parallel park.
Step 1. Keep driving till you find normal parking.


Oh my goodness, my Expy is in the shop and I have an F150 loaner and it's got regular cruise control and I'm so spoiled that I hate it, I want my adaptive back.

Within the most recent 19 years from 2005, I only used "regular" cruise function once, for less than twenty miles, which happened last August. I just feel more comfortable to control the vehicle with my own hands and right foot. Lane keeping is over-reacting and it doesn't fit for a person like me, who is precisely aware of my vehicle locations in lanes. So I just turn this function off on both of my vehicles.

 

[dlcorbett]

Yall gonna hate me but this is a terrible idea. This is a feature that could easily be improved upon, and when they did they completely stopped adding it to its vehicles. Many people would use it if it were easier and quicker to use. It's also a feature that sets it apart from its peers. People in the nav forum were mad they stopped adding it. Do I use it, no, but every person who sees me use it wants a car that can and that's marketing.

 

[sixstring]

Terrible idea. Ford wants to be a leading auto manufacturer then put leading features in the vehicle.

Don't people see what they are doing?

They will take auto park out. They will take adaptive cruise out. They will take other crap out. Then they will say they are saving $100 on the cost of each vehicle.

Ford will still put that $100 worth of hardware into each vehicle then make it part of a subscription fee for $90 per month.

Hell, it's all just a little software on a $75-100k truck. It should all be included for free.

 

[BSarchet]

My expy didn’t come with the park assist due to HD tow package (I think?) but honestly it’s the cameras and sensors on this thing that make it unnecessary IMO. I rarely have to try more than once with parallel parking because the visibility from the 360 and the lines that show the backing path work so well in parallel parking. For a huge vehicle, this thing is a breeze to park.

If I lost ACC and lane keep however I would riot. Those features make highway miles so much less stressful.

 

[5280tunage]

Terrible idea. Ford wants to be a leading auto manufacturer then put leading features in the vehicle.

Don't people see what they are doing?

They will take auto park out. They will take adaptive cruise out. They will take other crap out. Then they will say they are saving $100 on the cost of each vehicle.

Ford will still put that $100 worth of hardware into each vehicle then make it part of a subscription fee for $90 per month.

Hell, it's all just a little software on a $75-100k truck. It should all be included for free.

Yup, same as all of it. To pay for the labor issues and only focus on shareholder value, they will remove the functionality but charge 1.05% more. I agree with @sixstring, take the goggles off, it's unreal. We are all getting ripped off, more and more every day. Ford is dying fast.

Didn't matter if you individually used the feature, it was there.

 

[LegalBrief]

It’s a useless feature.. designed to make spouses happy across all brands. good riddance

 

[Rob6805]

I had it on our 14 Flex and it's also on our 21 Expedition. I've used it a few times but where I live there isn't much opportunity. It's kinda a gimmick. Doesn't work that great. I won't miss it..

 

[rd618]

if it’s not a used feature I don’t see the downside to removing it.
Invest the money into more useful features. Like buttons and knobs, or rear window sun shades!

 

[Fastcar]

If people can't parallel park, they probably shouldn't be driving.

 

[omandave]

My 2019 Expedition Limited, has both the ENHANCED ACTIVE PARK ASSIST (part of 302A package) and the HEAVY-DUTY TRAILER TOW PKG W 3.73 RATIO ELSD AXLE (part of "optional equipment") per my window sticker...

interesting what they do and apparently don't allow for combinations anymore... Bummer

 

[Dahammer]

The next thing FORD will remove is the windshield. They save $400 per vehicle. Of course with every purchase you can order goggles, a mad bomber hat, scarf for $25.00.

 

[dlcorbett]

If they gonna decontent, then they need to lower the price of these trucks. They keeping raising the cost but lower the content. 8 way power passenger seat, no more 1 touch windows in the back, no engine cover my 18/20 had all these but the same car new content wise is over 10k more

 

[sjwhiteley]

It's a vicious circle. If we stopped continuing work on something because its a 'useless feature' or 'little used' we would have none of the cool features in life.

But how do they know people aren't using it? I've not used that feature on the vehicle I have it on, simply because I have not parallel parked in at least the past 2 years, maybe longer. I'm sure there's a system which identifies that it can parallel park but was not activated. Is that info sent to Ford big brother? Or did they just do a survey?

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

I have it, but I have been reluctant to try it out figuring it would be just my luck to damage another vehicle. If I doesn't work, the initial warranty is over with

 

[GixxerJasen]

I have it, but I have been reluctant to try it out figuring it would be just my luck to damage another vehicle. If I doesn't work, the initial warranty is over with

Give it a shot, you've got control over the gas and brakes so it's on you if you crash into something, just the same as when you do it yourself, it just cuts the wheel at the perfect times.

I've yet to get the "Backing in assist" feature to ever find a parking spot.

 

[techdude99]

The technology has been around for a over a decade.

I tried it on several vehicles. With the Expedition, I never trusted it. The two times I tried using the feature I had to intervene to prevent contact with another vehicle.

That said, great idea for people that can't park but the implementation needs to be a lot more simple and reliable.