Patent ID: 8862321

Claim:
A method of guiding a vehicle to a region for initiating a parallel parking maneuver, the method comprising the steps of: determining, by a processor, a region of feasible starting locations to successfully perform a parallel parking maneuver, the region of feasible starting locations including a region where the vehicle can feasibly initiate an execution of the parallel parking maneuver to a final parking position; determining a position of the vehicle relative to the region of feasible starting locations if the vehicle is not within the region of feasible starting locations; determining whether the vehicle is in a zero heading position relative to the road of travel; guiding the vehicle along an initial target path by controlling a steering actuator until the vehicle is in a zero heading position relative to the road of travel in response to the determination that the vehicle is not initially in the zero heading position; generating, by the processor, a planned path that includes two arc-shaped trajectories extending between the vehicle at the zero heading position and a position within the region of feasible starting locations as determined, the two arc-trajectories including clothoids; and controlling the steering actuator to follow the planned path to the region of feasible starting locations.