Patent ID: 7469765

Claim:
A method of steering a vehicle that is to be backed into a parking space, the vehicle being successively reversed through first, second, third, fourth, and fifth curve segments starting from an initial position outside the parking space until the vehicle attains a parked position in the parking space, each segment flowing seamlessly into a next segment and, when viewed in a driving direction, the second segment representing a clothoid section, the third segment representing an arc section, the fourth segment representing an additional clothoid section, and the fifth segment representing an additional arc section, the method comprising the acts of: starting from the initial position of the vehicle, determining an entire reverse trajectory that is to be traveled to attain the parked position; and controlling steering of the vehicle during the reversing procedure by an electronic control system in accordance with said trajectory; wherein in the initial position, the vehicle is at an angle to a longitudinal direction of the parking space, and further wherein the first curve segment, through which the vehicle reverses and which lies between the initial position and the start of the second curve segment, is represented by a first geometrical function different than a second geometrical function representing the second curve segment; wherein, during the reversing operation when entering the parking space, the rearward vehicle area is monitored by spacing sensors, and the vehicle is automatically braked when an obstacle appears in the rearward vehicle area; wherein a vehicle speed is defined by the driver during the entire parking space entering operation, and the vehicle speed defined by the driver is limited to a defined maximal speed; and wherein the defined maximal speed is defined as a function of a steering angle change rate.