Parking Aid - System Operation and Component Description: Notes

System Operation

Parking Aid - Visual

System Diagram

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Item	Description
1	Rear parking aid camera
2	SASM
3	PAM
4	BCM
5	PCM
6	APIM
7	FDIM
8	FCDIM
9	IPC
10	8 in (203 mm) touchscreen
11	Video signal
12	4.2 in (107 mm) display
13	LIN
14	MS-CAN
15	I-CAN
16	HS-CAN

Network Message Chart

BCM Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Camera commands	APIM	Used to command the visual parking aid alert and zoom level on and off based on driver inputs through the FDIM.
Parking aid range to object	PAM	Used to highlight the zone on the video image where an object has been detected by the rear parking aid system.
Steering wheel angle	SASM	Used to generate the active guidelines on the video display (if equipped with active guidelines).

APIM Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Camera status	BCM	Used in the on-screen menus to display the current settings for visual parking aid alert, static guidelines, active guidelines and zoom level.
Selector lever (PRNDL) status	BCM	Used to enable the rear parking aid camera display when reverse gear is selected.
Vehicle speed	ABS module	Used to support the rear parking aid camera delay feature.

FCDIM Network Input Messages

Broadcast Message	Originating Module	Message Purpose
Selector lever (PRNDL) status	BCM	Used to enable the rear parking aid camera display when reverse gear is selected.
Vehicle speed	ABS module	Used to support the rear parking aid camera delay feature.

Image Display - Vehicles Equipped With An 8 in (203 mm) Touchscreen

NOTE: The luggage compartment lid must remain closed for correct operation of the rear parking aid camera system.

The rear parking aid camera image is displayed by the FDIM when the reverse gear is selected. To determine the selector lever (automatic transmission) or gearshift lever (manual transmission) position and enable the rear parking aid camera display, the BCM sends the gear position message over the MS-CAN to the IPC serving as a gateway. The IPC then sends the message to the APIM on the I-CAN. The rear parking aid camera generates a video signal any time it receives voltage, regardless of the current configuration. If the rear parking aid camera is not configured properly, some features may be inoperative. The rear parking aid camera is supplied voltage when the ignition is on. When the rear parking aid camera is on, the video signal is sent from the camera to the APIM on shielded twisted pair wires. The APIM displays the image on the FDIM.

The following parking aid camera system features are configured by the driver using the FDIM:

Visual parking aid alert - this feature assists the driver to visually see the object causing the parking aid system to sound.
Manual zoom - this feature assists the driver with connecting or towing a trailer and allows the driver to manually zoom closer to an object behind the vehicle.
Parking aid camera delay - this feature allows the driver to see the image behind the vehicle after the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE. The image is not be displayed if the vehicle is shifted into PARK.

For each one of these system features, except the parking aid camera delay feature, the driver generated backup parking aid camera commands are sent from the FDIM to the APIM to the BCM. The BCM then sends the command to the rear parking aid camera via the LIN circuit. The rear parking aid camera then generates the requested feature on top of the video image and outputs the video signal to the APIM which in turn displays the video on the FDIM.

The rear parking aid camera delay feature is controlled within the APIM.

Image Display - Vehicles Equipped With An 4.2 in (107 mm) Display

NOTE: The luggage compartment lid must remain closed for correct operation of the rear parking aid camera system.

The rear parking aid camera image is displayed by the FCDIM when the reverse gear is selected. To determine the selector lever (automatic transmission) or gearshift lever (manual transmission) position and enable the rear parking aid camera display, the BCM sends the gear position message over the MS-CAN to the IPC. The IPC then sends the message to the FCDIM on the I-CAN. The rear parking aid camera generates a video signal any time it receives voltage, regardless of the current configuration. If the rear parking aid camera is not configured properly, some features may be inoperative. The rear parking aid camera is supplied voltage when the ignition is on. When the camera is on, the image signal is sent from the camera on shielded twisted pair wires to the FCDIM.

Vehicles equipped with the 4.2 in (107 mm) display do not have any features that can be configured by the driver. The system displays fixed guidelines that are generated by the rear parking aid camera and cannot be turned off. If the luggage compartment lid is open, the guidelines are not shown.

LIN Communication

The BCM and the rear parking aid camera communicate via a LIN circuit which is a dedicated single wire communication network. The BCM is the master module on the LIN, and it sets and stores Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) for the rear parking aid camera and the communication network.

The messages sent from the BCM to the rear parking aid camera are:

liftgate ajar status
camera configuration data
manual zoom request
enable/disable visual parking aid alert
enable/disable fixed guidelines
enable/disable active guidelines
parking aid audible warning status
parking aid sensor distance to object data
steering wheel angle data

The reply messages sent from the rear parking aid camera to the BCM are:

camera status
zoom status
visual parking aid alert status
fixed guideline status
active guideline status
camera part number data

Visual Park Aid Alert

NOTE: The on-screen alert color transitions may not match changes in the audible parking aid alert tone frequency.

This feature utilizes the rear parking aid sensor inputs from the PAM and the rear parking aid camera image. When the selector lever (automatic transmission) or gearshift lever (manual transmission) is in reverse and an object is detected in the path of a parking aid sensor, the parking aid sensor data message is sent from the PAM through the HS-CAN to the BCM. The BCM sends the message to the IPC on the MS-CAN and to the rear parking aid camera via the LIN circuit. The IPC then distribute the message to the APIM (if equipped) or to the FCDIM (if equipped) on the I-CAN. The display uses this information to generate a visual highlight on the video image in the zone where the object is detected.

Fixed Guidelines

NOTE: The color-coded lines cannot indicate accurate or consistent distances between the rear of the vehicle and objects shown in the video image. This normal condition is due to variances in vehicle ride height, including, but not limited to, vehicle loading.

The rear parking aid camera fixed guidelines feature displays guidelines on top of the video image as a projection of the wheel tracks or vehicle corners to assist the driver with alignment of the vehicle. A black dashed line on the displayed image represents the center of the vehicle and 3 color-coded lines (red, yellow, green) identify different zones between the rear of the vehicle and objects. The color-coded lines match the distances with the visual park aid alert highlights.

The fixed guidelines are shown even when the vehicle is not in reverse (delay mode selected).

If the luggage compartment lid is open, the fixed guidelines are not shown.

Active Guidelines

The rear parking aid camera active guidelines feature displays dynamic guidelines on top of the video image to assist the driver with maneuvering a vehicle into a space. The guidelines display the expected path of vehicle travel based on the current steering angle. Active guidelines are not shown when the steering wheel is straight.

If the luggage compartment lid is open or the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead position, the active guidelines are not shown.

Manual Zoom

The manual zoom feature is controlled by the rear parking aid camera. The feature is only available when the transmission is in reverse. Depending on vehicle equipment, when the driver manually zooms the rear parking aid camera image, the zoom command message is sent from the APIM or FCDIM through the BCM to the rear parking aid camera. The rear parking aid camera then zooms the image.

The manual zoom feature has 1 zoom level that is only active when the vehicle is in REVERSE. If the manual zoom feature is enabled and the vehicle is shifted out of reverse, the manual zoom feature is disabled. The manual zoom feature must be re-enabled the next time the vehicle is shifted into reverse.

Video Delay

When the video delay is turned on, the APIM (vehicles with 8 in (203 mm) touchscreen display) or the FCDIM (vehicle with 4.2 in (107 mm) display) keeps the video display enabled after the transmission is shifted out of reverse gear, into any gear other than park, until the vehicle speed reaches 10 km/h (7 mph). With the delay off (default), the image displays until the transmission is shifted out of reverse gear.