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Ford parks the Auto-Park, drops self-parking feature to cut costs

Say goodbye to Ford's parking assistance as the carmaker puts a brake on its Active Park Assist feature.

Shaynah Miranda on Feb 16, 2024

Ford decides to drop the Active Park Assist feature to save costs.

Ford is really taking its hands off the wheel, so you might want to take those parking lessons seriously.

Related: Securing parts for your Ford vehicle is about to become easier than ever

As reported by Bloomberg, the carmaker has announced it will stop including the Active Park Assist feature in its new models in an effort to cut costs and focus on what customers really use. The self-parking feature, which helps vehicles handle parallel and perpendicular parking, has been available for over a decade, but apparently, only a few individuals actually use it.

Ford COO Kumar Galhotra mentioned the low usage of this parking assistance by customers as a deciding factor in its removal. Removing the said feature is expected to save the company about $60 per vehicle, totaling around $10 million annually. More broadly, Ford is looking to cut costs by about $2 billion, partly by removing features like this that aren't widely used.

Even though it's a cool feature, not many Ford drivers use it. Some people who enjoy the convenience of self-parking might be disappointed, but Ford is trying to focus on what's most important and save money.

The Active Park Assist feature is currently available in a range of Ford models, including popular ones like the Escape compact SUV, the electric Mustang Mach-E, and the F-150 pickup.

In the Philippines, Ford's decision might change how people see the brand's tech features. Customers might see Ford as less tech-forward, which could affect the attractiveness of the carmaker in the local market, where advanced features are often a selling point.

However, as the trend seems to be moving towards electric vehicles (EVs), Ford might have just made a smart choice, potentially helping to keep prices competitive. Plus, with Ford's good reputation when it comes to technology, the saved money will likely go towards developing more popular technologies that customers will actually use. We can look forward to Ford introducing advanced tech soon. Meanwhile, check out Ford's current lineup and get a quote for the Ford you have your eye on.