Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles are taking part in a Hamburg Airport trial of autonomous parking that could see the launch of a new service within the next few years.

Volkswagen Group soon to have autonomous parking ready for series vehicles

The trial would enable drivers to use an app to book a parking space at the airport and leave the car at the entrance to the multi-storey car park when they arrive. The vehicle would then park itself, including selecting a space at an EV charging station if needed, using map data to navigate and pictoral markers for orientation using sensors.

The first trials are taking place in isolated parking areas. The plan is to launch the functionality for the first customers in selected multi-storey car parks in ‘mixed traffic’ areas from the start of the next decade and to eventually expand the service to all parking, including outside areas at supermarkets.

Johann Jungwirth, chief digital officer of the Volkswagen Group, said: “Autonomous parking can make an important contribution to creating convenient, stress-free mobility for our customers. We therefore want to democratise the technology and make it accessible to as many people as possible.”

A technology demonstration of the self-parking soft and hardware previously took place in 2014 using a Volkswagen e-Golf that was able to park itself in a mutli-storey car park and park at a bay that featured a robotic arm to automate the recharging process.

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