While Hyundai has been busy perfecting autonomous driving ability, it’s been putting out other features that seem like something out of the future. Remote Parking Assist (RSPA) is one such technology that will appeal to many who want convenience and the ability to allow the car to take control of the wheel while still practicing car safety. What is this feature and which Hyundai models can you expect to find it on?

How exactly does the Hyundai Remote Smart Parking Assist work?

Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) is a convenience feature that allows the vehicle to park or exit a parking space of its own accord. The driver doesn’t have to be in the vehicle to activate the system, it can be done remotely. Those who aren’t confident in their parallel parking skills will love this feature because it aids them in moving into the desired parking space. 

To do this, the car uses an ultrasonic sensor to determine what’s around the vehicle, it will then aid by accelerating, slowing down, shifting, and even braking when needed. It will offer instructions on what to do if you’re in the vehicle and you’ve activated the system. First, it lets you know of a parking space, and it will give you options of what type of space you want. 

You select the desired parking and the car will take over from there to perform the act of slipping into the selected spot. For the remote feature, you will need to exit the vehicle with your smart key, where you will select the RSPA on the fob. The car will park itself. 

What is RSPA 2?

This feature is the same as the original version, except it adds elements for a parking assistance environment, according to Hyundai’s website. This includes:

• Parallel parking 
• Recognition-based perpendicular parking
• Image recognition-based simplified parking
• Avoidance steering
• Diagonal parking mode

Which models have the Hyundai RSPA and RSPA 2 features?

Not every Hyundai model comes with the RSPA feature. You will also find that of the versions with it, only certain trim levels offer it. As of right now, you can find the Remote Smart Parking Assist on: 

Sonata

• Limited
• Hybrid Limited

Tucson

• Limited (which can be had for under $40,000)
• Hybrid Limited
• Plug-in Hybrid Limited

Santa Fe

• Limited

Palisade

• Calligraphy

It should also be noted that RSPA 2 is only offered on the Ioniq 6 Limited and Nexo Limited models at this time. 

Why we weren’t impressed with the RSPA feature a few years ago

Back in early 2021, we reviewed a Sonata with this parking feature on it, and it didn’t impress. We criticized it for its slow response time, which was about 30 seconds from the time it was activated to the time it actually moved. But, it was only a minor annoyance. 

The other issue we had with it is the fact that when it moves in or out of the parking spot, it only goes forward and backward. This would make it pretty annoying for others that may be waiting to get into your spot because you’ll have to take more time getting in the car and maneuvering it around to leave the area. It just didn’t seem like it was worth paying extra money to have. 

However, Hyundai’s RSPA 2 (also known as Premium RSPA) feature is out, at least for a couple of models, and it seems promising. The updated elements pretty much address the biggest issue we had with limited movement and now allow you to park or exit diagonal spaces as well as other types of parking spots. It just might be useful yet, provided Hyundai adds it to more models in the near future. 

Hyundai is moving its vehicles to the modern era and beyond with features such as the Remote Smart Parking Assist, which allows you to park or exit a spot without doing all the work. It’s just one way to make driving more autonomous for today’s drivers.