Parallel parking is one of those things that sounds simple, but most of us learn by trial, error, and maybe a couple curbs. This tool breaks it down with actual geometry, real vehicle specs, and a bit of visual logic to show what’s really going on when you try to squeeze into a space.
This isn’t some game. It’s a simplified but accurate simulation based on how vehicles actually move—useful if you're curious, teaching someone to drive, or just trying to settle a debate.
Every vehicle is defined by its real-world length, width, and turn radius. Turn radius is a measure of how tightly a car can pivot in a full steering lock. It's affected by wheelbase, steering angle, and how far forward or back the front axle is placed.
In the simulator, this value determines how sharply your car can arc during the turning phases. Longer vehicles with larger turn radii need more room to maneuver—no surprises there.
We use manufacturer specs wherever possible. When data isn’t published, we use reasonable approximations based on similar models or formulas tied to wheelbase and steering constraints.
This simulator uses Ackermann steering geometry as the backbone for how vehicles move during each turn phase. At its core, Ackermann geometry is the principle that during a turn, each front wheel traces a different radius so that the inside tire turns more sharply than the outside tire—avoiding tire scrubbing and making the arc smooth and realistic.
We apply this concept in a simplified but effective way: for each movement phase, we treat the vehicle’s motion as a geometric arc, based on its wheelbase, overall length, and minimum turn radius (usually at full steering lock).
Each phase in the parking maneuver—whether reversing into the space or straightening out—follows this arc. That arc is determined by:
Because the simulator assumes full-lock steering in both directions (the tightest turn the car can make), and uses consistent motion behavior (like always straightening out at a known point), we’re able to simplify what would otherwise be a messy set of possibilities into a clean calculation.
This allows us to boil parking down into two key variables:
By applying the geometry of each arc-based phase—while keeping key inputs constant—we can work backward from the desired final position to determine exactly where to start and how much to rotate before backing in. Every vehicle in the app has its own optimal combination of starting offset and turn angle based on its shape and turning ability.
These aren’t estimates—they’re calculated results from simulated path modeling using your actual car’s specs.
Each movement respects the car’s dimensions and physical limits—there’s no cheating here.
So yes, your real-world results may vary—but the fundamentals are solid.
Turn radius values are always interpreted as curb-to-curb unless otherwise specified.
Hi. I’m an engineer who works in public safety by day—and builds tools like this for fun. I made this because I’ve always been fascinated by how things actually work, and parallel parking is one of those everyday mysteries people either fake their way through or never fully understand.
This is a work in progress. If you find it useful—or if you think it’s totally wrong—feel free to reach out.
This tool is for educational and illustrative purposes. Real-world parking depends on a lot more than numbers: driver skill, visibility, tire grip, slope, distractions, etc. Don’t use this as a substitute for common sense or defensive driving.