Paul A. Romsky Jr. - Car Stop Parking Assistant System

This is my Car Stop Parking Assistant System that I made for Stacie a few years ago. It was designed so that she knows how far to pull the car into the garage so that the garage door can close without touching/damging the car and yet not be too far in the garage so I can get around it. It is based on the Parallax Board Of Eduction (BOE) Prototyping Board with a Parallax BS2 Basic-Stamp System On A Chip microcontroller. The BOE controls a Parallax PING Ultrasonic Transducer which is used to continuously measure the distance from the car to the Pole (which holds the entire system) in order to tell the driver when to stop the car for the optimum parking distance inside the garage.


The Adafruit Trinket M0 version of the Car Stop System


Basic Operation:

No Car is present or the Car is greater than 3.5 meters away from the Pole - Standby - the LED is Off.

The Car gets to within 3.5 meters from the Pole - Approach - the LED goes Green.

The Car gets to within 1.3 meters from the Pole - Slow Down - the LED goes Yellow.

The Car gets to within 0.2 (+/- 0.1) meters from the Pole - Stop (the Sweet Spot) - the LED goes Red.

If the driver proceeds to get the Car closer to the Pole (< 0.1 meters) - Too Close, Back Up Slightly - the LED Flashes Red.


Here are versions of the Code, Assembly, Schematic, and Parts List:

Download the Car Stop Design Files Based on the Parallax BS2
Download the Lower Cost Car Stop Design Files Based on the Adafruit Trinket M0


Below are photos of the system as I performed some maintenance on it in our Game Room. Please excuse the mess; we have not entertained since Covid-19 started and we have what I call Storage Creep. I am using my oversize box of Frosted Flakes as a car (target) simulator.



Car is beyond 3.5 meters from the Post - Standby - LED is Off


Car is about 3.5 meters from the Post - Approach - LED is Green


Car is about 1.3 meters from the Post - Slow Down - LED is Yellow


Car is about 0.2 (+/- 0.1) meters from the Post - Stop (the Sweet Spot) - LED is Red


Car is less than 0.1 meters from the Post - Too Close, Back Up Slightly - LED is Flashing Red



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