Kevin Luo and Hsinghan Meng, USA

This paper investigates whether the initial lateral offset of a vehicle from the parking space, denoted ∆y, affects the vehicle’s ability to successfully complete a parallel parking maneuver. Using the geometric mathematical model developed by Wahab et al. [1] and implemented via a simulation developed in a Java-based environment to allow for high-fidelity kinematic modelling and real-time geometric validation, a series of trials were conducted in which ∆y was systematically varied while all other vehicle and parking space parameters were held constant. The results demonstrate that, under the constraints of this model, the parallel parking maneuver can be completed successfully across a wide range of ∆y values. Specifically, varying ∆y causes the geometric solution to self-adjust: the intermediate quantities a, c, y1, and θ all recalculate such that a valid two-arc trajectory always exists. It is concluded that ∆y does not prevent a vehicle from parking; rather, it only shifts the starting position and arc geometry while preserving the feasibility of the maneuver.

parallel parking, path planning, lateral offset, ∆y, simulation, Ackermann steering, bicycle model.