egtgrant

While not familiar with the specifics of parktronic, I believe its operation is similar to many other range determining systems. As such...

For the geek...

There are two to four sensors installed in the bumper (front, back, both, whatever you want to protect). Look at the tail end of most modern SUVs and luxury cars... If they don't have a camera, there will most likely be four circular dots in the rear bumper; these are the sensors. These sensors emit a signal (RF, ultrasound, infrared... doesn't matter that much). The signal bounces off nearby objects and the 'echo' is picked up by the sensors. By counting the amount of time between signal emission and picking up the echo, the system can determine how far away an object is.

For the driver...

When the system is engaged, it will beep at you when the sensor (your bumper) gets close to an object. As you get closer to the object, the beeping will get more frequent (shorter space between beeps=shorter space between your bumper and an object). Some systems will convert from discreet beeps to a solid tone when you are within a certain preset distance. Some systems (including parktronic, I think) will have a visual feedback system, as well. In this case a strip of LEDs will be used to supplement the beeps to indicate distance. As with the beeping, more lights illuminated indicates a smaller distance between your bumper and an object.

overtaker

the day you buy a car with parktronic option, is the day you have become really old that you don't manage to turn around and look for yourself when you're parking the car, because of decrepit.

Chaz00Blue

egtgrant,

Thanks for the explanation!

MB-JIM

It must be nice to be young and foolish. "Youth is wasted on the young."

Ormond2004

Amen brother!!!

pmb600

I agree with MBJim that Parktonic should be offered in the US. I don't think that Mercedes has the responsibility to make it cheap however. If it costs X to install it, then that is how it is. But I don't see why it's not even available when they clearly make this option in other countries.

How about we talk about the fact that my 2005 C240 has 8 standard airbags...2006/2007 MY had rear sides as options, and now for 2008 they aren't available at all. I think more people would benefit from airbags, which Mercedes always proudly states that they invented, than from Parktronic.

kickR

If this is such a big deal for some of you people out there ... than buy a car from a manufacturer that offers parktronic.

You cant expect a car manufacturer to standardize a "somewhat" safety feauture only because of so very few incidents in the country and keep it cheap at the same time.

I agree that they should offer that option in the US, but for some reason they didnt and I'm sure they have their reasons. Maybe it didnt sell at all with the W203, so why should this change with the W204?

pmb600

They don't even know if it would be a popular option because it was never an option on the W203 in the US. It was available in Europe for the entire life of the W203.

kickR

good point, but like I said, they must have some reason why it isn't an option. would be interesting to find out.

pmb600

I know the answer. The C-Class is an entry level luxury car in the US which is the most competitive segment. Mercedes-Benz USA struggles with trying to keep the price low and simplify what is on the dealer lots. 90% of cars in the US are bought off the lot, and most people are not interested in extra technology. It is sad, because I don't think it would cost them anything to make parktronic as well as a few other options available to customers that ordered their car. It would make them a few extra bucks and keep some more enthusiast type customers happy.

egtgrant

Speculating...

As the system appears to be offered in other countries, I agree, I'd like to see it offered here - even if only as an option. There is basically no additional start-up cost to Mercedes to offer the option in the US. The option is already built into the manufacturing process.

While this option wouldn't affect base price, I wonder if Mercedes has concern about the dealers using their allocations to specify 'too-loaded' cars, causing the car to appear too expensive to potential buyers (the one's that buy off the lot, not custom order).

In addition, I think when cars depreciate, the less equipped models may actually hold their value (as a percent of original price) better than fully loaded ones. In effect, I feel that options generally depreciate faster than the rest of the car.

Mercedes may not want to damage the perception of the car's residual value by offering too many options.

<I know, it's a stretch>

RBP

dude, you're an idiot.

Dema

I agree, parktronic is a standard safety feature as tire pressure monitoring and hand free phone.

JimPap

You make a very good point about what dealers do.

I think its more likely something to do with how suit happy people are over here. If you had a safety option that should work 99.99% of the time, the one time it fails you'd see a hundred million dollar law suit. ...and don't kid yourself, someone would be out there trying to figure out how to make it fail.

egtgrant

You make a very good point, too (Back at 'ya)

America is a very litigious society. People would rather sue than admit they made a mistake.

Untertürkheim

And W202.

ScottyGams

you know... MB-Jim... even though a disagree with you based on that heartbraking story you cited in your OP, it appears I must come over to your side in terms of making it available as at least an option.

You seem to have created quite a discussion here!

pmb600

They had it back then too!?

bzliteyear

expensive technology? remember that VCRs and CD players used to cost $1,000 and now CD players are $19 at Walmart.

since we're talking about cars, i have two thoughts:

first, the initial disc brakes on cars cost about $10k(from what i recall)...but w/ volume, the cost of them came down VERY fast and now they're std 4 wheel discs on all high-end cars. in fact, in 1986 bmw was first auto company to have ABS on their entire car line. all the others had to follow, and w/ the increased volume the prices also came down and ABS is now std. the same can be said for airbags and other technology items...particularly safety related.

second, parking sensors ARE cheap...they probably cost about $50 to the auto mfr. there are perhaps 6 to 8 chips/sensors on the bumpers plus something for the display/audio. if the volume goes up, these things will be even less than $50. the fact that this feature is on $25k minivans and SUVs remind us that it's not that expensive to add. this is a matter of priority for the auto mfg. this is a great opportunity...similar to BMW in 1986, a strong auto mfgr could really stand-out by making a statement to the world.

ellimb

What A lot of Bull that parktronic is standard in Australia!!!!!

Dema

Company can fire marketing people if they will provide equal equipped car for every country. They have to provide some market analysis which supposes to save millions. Actually it isn't easy to say how many millions MB lost due marketing mistakes. I can tell that underpowered engine is less disturbing me then not providing standard luxury features like memory seats, parktronic, keyless go and others, which other makers offer. Of course MB won't lose MB fanatics which will be happy with completely stripped and underpowered car carrying MB badge. Perhaps MB just gave up in this segment in US market. E class keeps much stronger position and leads in sales over 5 series or GS. So low sales of C in US do not bring any worry. I'd say, not happy with options of C class, then go to competitors. Do not like competitors? Go to aftermarket, or buy MB as is.

W0n6_3d4n

You might want to ask you salesman, i've test drive two W204 a classic and elegance, both of them has parktronic, it even said on the website under standard feature.

benggolf

Parktronic option is cool and nice to have, but dealer-installed units on the W204s don't appeal to me at all (fugly).

MB-JIM

Granted that this was with an SUV but it could happen to any of us when a small child runs behind our car. MB at least give us the opportunity to buy Parktronic.
Jim


El Mirage boy, 3, killed by father's SUV
Lily Leung
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 10, 2007 11:28 AM

A 3-year-old boy from El Mirage was pronounced dead Tuesday night after he was struck by a sport utility vehicle driven by his father, authorities said.

The child's father, Ramon Nuņez, was backing out of a common driveway in the 14200 block of North First Avenue and was trying to maneuver toward the gate opening on the right side, said Aaron Douglas, spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

As he reversed out of the driveway, Nuņez struck his son, also named Ramon Nuņez, Sheriff's deputies said.






The child was flown by helicopter to Maricopa Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Douglas said.

The Sheriff's office was locating a translator Wednesday to interview Nuņez, 38, who is a Spanish-speaker, Douglas said.

The boy's father was not impaired at the time, and investigators were calling it an accident, Douglas said.

A similar incident occurred on Sept. 30 in Queen Creek. A 22-month-old boy was accidentally struck by an SUV operated by the boy's father, who was also backing out of the family's driveway."I see this happening all the time," Douglas said. "Parents always need to be observant of (their children's actions."

JimPap

Sounds like the problem is SUVs.