There are few things more embarrassing than really screwing up a parallel parking job on a busy city block. Rearview cameras in some cars have made it easier, but for the most part, parallel parking technique hasn’t changed in decades. It still requires a human touch, even as Google’s proven that human drivers aren’t necessarily better than computerized drivers. The 2013 Ford Fusion promises to change that: it collects data through sensors that it uses to direct your car into a parallel parking space. The only thing that the driver controls is the brake pedal and the accelerator.
The Fusion also features a host of other computerized driving features. One senses when you’re falling asleep or drifting out of a lane and vibrates your wheel to wake you. Another one keeps an eye on traffic ahead if you’re using cruise control, and slows down the car if there’s the possibility of an accident. There’s even an alert that tells you that someone’s in your blind spot, sort of like an annoying backseat driver.
One thing’s for sure: we’re going to be driving less, and computers are going to be driving more. The Ford Fusion is an affordable American car that takes automation seriously, with the nice side effect of improving safety.