Patent ID: 7375651

Claim:
A parking assistance apparatus for providing assistance in a driving operation of parking a vehicle in a target parking space by moving the vehicle forwards from an initial stop position with a steering wheel turned, stopping the vehicle at a backward movement start position, and moving the vehicle backwards with the steering wheel turned in the opposite direction, the parking assistance apparatus comprising: a camera for capturing an image behind the vehicle; a display arranged near a driver seat of the vehicle; a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle; yaw angle detection means for detecting a yaw angle of the vehicle; guiding means for issuing guiding information on the driving operation to a driver; and a controller for acquiring a momentary position of the vehicle and a momentary yaw angle of the vehicle based on a steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor and a yaw angle of the vehicle detected by the yaw angle detection means when the vehicle moves forwards from the initial stop position, for determining during the forward moving of the vehicle whether the vehicle has entered a region where is the backward movement start position defined by a parking-permitting position and a parking permitting yaw angle against the target parking space or not, for issuing guiding information to stop the vehicle via the guiding means as soon as or some time after it is determined that the vehicle has entered the region where is the backward movement start position, for displaying the image captured by the camera on the display when the vehicle moves backwards, and for displaying on the display in a superimposed manner an estimated vehicle space in the case where the vehicle moves backwards with a current steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor being maintained, the estimated vehicle space moving according to the current steering angle, to thereby inform the driver of a suitable steering angle in moving the vehicle backwards.