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Today’s vehicles have more safety features and sensors. Most of the time these features stay in the background, and you don’t even need to know that they’re there. The APS feature is one of them today in this article we’ll discuss what does aps mean on a car in detail. The first instance when an APS was used was in Paris, France in 1905. Called the “Garage Rue de Ponthieu,” this APS had elevators that transported unaccompanied cars to an upper deck. An attendant would then drive the car to an empty parking space on that deck.

Automatic parking further developed in the 1920s when a Ferris-wheel design became a popular mode for automatic parking with limited space. This French design called “paternoster” made it possible for eight cars to fit in each compartment, maximizing the number of vehicles that could be parked while minimizing space. In the 1950’s Washington D.C. became the home to the first driverless parking garage, where mechanical maneuvers transported cars. Today, it is more common to see APS in Central America, Europe, and Asia than in North America.

What Does APS Mean On A Car?

Automatic parking systems (APS) stack cars vertically to limit space. The designs of these unique systems help transport vehicles from the entrance to their parking space without the driver present. If a car has front and back parking sensors, in that vehicle this feature can be called APS.

This feature mostly comes in luxury cars, it usually does not come in budget-friendly cars. Only back parking sensors come in budget cars. Most cars come with a button that you can use to on and off the APS feature. The invention of automatic parking systems helps solve parking issues in areas. Where space was already minimal, like cities and heavily populated areas.

How Does APS Works?

Have you been wondering what does aps mean on a car? and how does APS work? An Automated Parking System transports cars to and from parking spaces like a valet, but without human help. Drivers take their cars to the entrance of the automatic parking system where all occupants exit the vehicle. From here, the vehicle is moved by mechanical maneuvers to an available space where it is automatically parked or parked by an attendant.

1. Parking In A Robotic Parking System:-

Automatic signs and signals guide the driver as they park in the entrance lobby. As the car enters the lobby, the robotic system measures the car’s size to determine the smallest parking space available for the car. After turning off the engine, the driver and passengers lock the car, exit the entry lobby, and get their tickets at the ticket machine nearby.

Once sensors determine that everyone is out of the lobby, the robotic parking system automatically closes the outside lobby doors and opens the inside doors leading into the APS. APS operates under different techniques and uses different technologies, but all use mechanical systems to pick up the car from the lobby, transport it into the parking area and place it in a parking space automatically. The parked car remains in its parking space until the driver requests its return.

2. Un-Parking The Car:-

Retrieving the car from the robotic parking system is also easy. The driver enters his ticket outside the APS, pays for the parking, and is directed to the exit lobby, where the car will be delivered. After the car is placed in the exit lobby by the robotic system, the lobby doors open, allowing the driver and passengers to enter the car. The outer lobby door is open and the driver simply drives out of the APS lobby.

What Is The Difference Between A Fully-Automated APS And A Semi-Automated APS?

The difference between a fully-automated APS and a semi-automated APS is it needs a parking attendant to drive or direct the cars into the machine. Fully-automated parking systems do not need an attendant, and the APS’s mechanical processes will transport vehicles from the start of the garage into an empty parking space. Semi-automated APS requires a parking attendant to drive the car into the machine or assist in parking the car after it arrives at a parking space.

The fully-automated parking systems accommodate parking structures that hold more than 100 cars. Whereas semi-automated parking systems accommodate parking structures that hold less than 100 vehicles.

Advantages Of APS Feature In A Car?

Till now we’ve discussed what does aps mean on a car? how does it work? and the difference between a fully-automated APS and a semi-automated APS. Now let’s see some advantages and disadvantages of the APS.

1. The main advantage of APS is, that they help to save space. This is especially true in the case of fully-automatic parking systems, where attendants do not have to park cars.
2. When someone is parking a car and the parking sensors are on, then when a car gets near to any object, due to parking sensors, a sound will start beeping. The sound becomes higher when something gets much closer. So, due to the beep sound, a driver can easily understand how far a car is from an object.
3. Because of its limited space and inaccessibility to car-owners and other pedestrians, APSs prevent vehicles from being damaged or personal items from being stolen.
4. APS help reduces harmful car fume emissions. In parking garages, the vehicle is typically turned off throughout this process, limiting emissions even more.

Disadvantages Of APS Feature In A Car?

1. An automatic parking system might be susceptible to technical malfunctions, trapping cars, or inhibiting any vehicles from entering and making use of the facility. The parking system owners could lose revenue if they have to close for repairs. There could also be technical malfunctions that result in vehicle damage.
2. Sometimes the beep sound of the parking sensor becomes irritating. For example, if you are in traffic, and APS/ front-back parking sensors are on, then every time when the other vehicle comes near to your vehicle, the beep sound will start, and it will become irritating.
3. Another disadvantage of the APS is the absence of staff and inexperienced customers. An inexperienced customer might not understand how to use the system, create a backup, or create a negative user experience for that individual.

Conclusion:-

The above-mentioned information about what does aps mean on a car? we hope this will be helpful to all the readers. If anybody’s doubts persist feel free to comment in the comment section below. We’ll try to solve your doubts as soon as possible.