It"s called Park Assist...

It"s called Park Assist Stop (PAS), and uses ultrasonic technology to judge how near the vehicle is to an object front or rear, just like normal sensors. However, the new device has one important difference - rather than simply sounding an alarm when you are getting close, it automatically applies the car"s brakes. Dan Need from Bosch UK explained: "Sometimes people ignore the warning sounds of current sensors, hoping to get a few extra millimetres closer and end up reversing too far, having a bump. This system prevents this by applying the brakes. Also, current parking sensors are no help if you accidentally slip and press the throttle too hard. Our set-up stops that as well."

In fact, PAS is specifically designed to assist those with a heavy right foot. As well as applying the brakes, it controls the car"s throttle to ensure the vehicle is manoeuvred at a steady pace. "At the moment the gadget is undergoing development," Need added. "But we are speaking to a number of car manufacturers with a view to making it available on models in the near future."