How parking sensors without drilling work
A cable connects the thin strip on the inside of the bumper to a small control box in the car. The box creates a weak electromagnetic field around the bumper. That is why these are also called electromagnetic parking sensors.
When an obstacle comes closer to the bumper, the field changes and a buzzer in the car starts to beep. The sound of the rear strip changes as you get closer:
- Beeping gets faster. It starts when the obstacle is about 70 cm from the middle of the bumper. The closer the obstacle, the faster it beeps.
- Fast broken beeping. The obstacle is 15 to 30 cm away.
- Continuous tone. The obstacle is 10 to 15 cm away. Stop now.
The front strip has 2 sounds. Beeping starts at about 40 to 50 cm from the obstacle and gets faster. The continuous tone comes at 10 to 15 cm.
We connect the rear strip to the reversing light, so it switches on by itself as soon as you select reverse. A short sound then tells you the system has checked itself and works.
You switch the front strip on yourself, with a button, when you start parking. One short beep means the strip works. If you forget it, it switches off by itself after a short time, so it doesn't beep while you drive.
If after pressing the button you hear 2 tones, high then low, 3 times in a row, the strip is not connected properly to the box. Then call us.
The bumper comes off for fitting, because the strip goes on the inside.
Whether the strip fits your car: depends on the bumper
- A plastic or fibreglass bumper: it fits.
- A metal or carbon bumper: it doesn't.
- Some pickups, SUVs and vans, for example with the spare wheel on the tailgate: it doesn't.
They warn you while the car moves towards an obstacle
The strip warns you only while the car moves towards an obstacle. When the car is still and an obstacle is in front of the bumper, the strip reports it only when you start moving towards it. Regular sensors measure the distance to an obstacle, while the strip senses that an obstacle is getting closer. So park slowly and smoothly.
In the middle of the bumper the strip warns you earlier, and at the corners later. So approach with a corner of the car more carefully.
The strip senses almost any obstacle, of any shape. It senses only glass and ceramics less well.
Even with sensors, look around the car before you park.
Sensors tell you with sound how close you are, and a reversing camera shows what is behind the car. We also fit it together with sensors. More about the reversing camera
What affects the strip and what does not
- Tow barIt does not affect it. The strip reports only what is getting closer to it, and the tow bar stays fixed to the car.
- Number plate over the stripIt does not affect it. The number plate is not connected to the metal of the car, so the field passes through it.
- Metal bar behind the bumperIt affects the strip only when it is closer than 2 cm to it, because the strip then warns you later. Then we raise the sensitivity.
- Rain and dampIn the rain the box lowers the sensitivity by itself, so water running down the bumper does not cause beeping.
How they differ from regular sensors
| Without drilling | Regular | |
|---|---|---|
| Holes in the bumper | None | One for each sensor |
| From outside | Not visible | Small circles, painted to match the car |
| Rear ones start to warn | At about 70 cm | At 1.5 m or more |
| Continuous tone | At 10 to 15 cm | At about 30 cm |
| Front and rear | Each bumper has its own kit | 4 front and 4 rear can go on one box |
More about factory and universal sensors
What the price depends on
There is no single price, because every car and bumper needs different work. The price includes the kit, taking the bumper off and refitting it, installation and testing.
The price depends on
- Rear, front or both bumpers. Both need 2 kits, each with its own strip and box.
- Sound only, or also a display that shows how close you are to the obstacle.
- How much work it takes to remove the bumper on your car.
- Whether a reversing camera goes in together with the sensors.
