ULTRASONIC REAR PARKING ASSIST DEBUTS ON 2000 DEVILLE

NEW YORK--Cadillac announced it will offer an Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist feature on the 2000 DeVille. The announcement, made to the International Motor Press Association, is the second in a series of new technologies Cadillac is bringing to market in its next generation full-size sedan, the first being a Cadillac-exclusive Night Vision system.

The ultrasonic rear park assist technology is designed to help drivers park their vehicles while in reverse. The system will complement Night Vision, a previously-announced 2000 DeVille exclusive designed to assist the forward view of drivers during nighttime driving.

With Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist, both audio and visual cues are used to convey information on the closeness of objects behind the vehicle, assisting the driver in rear parking maneuvers. The visual display uses three light-emitting diodes (LEDs) located in the rear of the DeVille's headliner. It works in concert with an audio chime system to alert the driver to potential hazards.

Night Vision is the first automotive application of a thermal-imaging technology that helps drivers avoid collisions by enhancing their ability to detect objects well beyond the normal range of their headlights.

"Whereas Night Vision will help drivers see farther ahead than they ever could see with just their headlights, our new Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist will allow them to 'see' potential obstacles behind them during parking maneuvers, such as a sign post or a shopping cart," said Cadillac General Manager John F. Smith. "This new sedan will offer a level of technological situational awareness that we believe no other car manufacturer can match."

Developed by Bosch, the Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist system uses four sensors on the rear fascia. The sensors sequentially send out ultrasonic waves when the car is driven in reverse. The sending sensor and adjacent sensors pick up the echo of a signal when it bounces off an object. Triangulation is used to determine relative distance based on the elapsed time between the outgoing signal and its return.

As a parking aid, the system operates up to a speed of three miles per hour. At speeds higher than three miles per hour in reverse, a flashing red LED notifies the driver that the system is not operational.

The vertical field of view ranges from one-fourth of a meter (almost 10 inches) off the ground to the top of the car's trunk. With this field of view, the driver is able to make maneuvers in parking situations using information on the closeness of objects such as another car or a sign post, without the system being triggered by an object such as a street curb.

With the car in reverse, one amber LED is illuminated when the system detects an object from 1.5 meters to one meter (about five feet to 40 inches). A single chime tone is emitted to direct the driver's attention to the display. From one meter to .5 meters (about 40 inches to 20 inches), two amber LEDs are illuminated.

When the car reaches a distance of .5 meters to .3 meters (about 20 inches to one foot), two amber LEDs and a red LED are illuminated, and the chime tone becomes continuous. Then, when the object becomes less than .3 meters (about one foot) from the bumper, all three LEDs begin flashing while the chime remains continuous.

The driver can see the display of LEDs either through the rear view mirror or by turning around while driving in reverse.

The ultrasonic sensors are body colored and are integrated into the bumper so that the system meets all federal regulations for bumper impact. The round sensor assemblies are approximately 35 millimeters in diameter (about 1.4 inches).