Skoda published a new study revealing that more than a third of UK motorists are driving vehicles with damaged alloy wheels. Parallel parking seems to be the most important factor in this problem, with 56 percent of the damages caused by hitting a curb. Wheel damage is not only cosmetic, with the Chezh company suggesting it can lead to “tire faults, tracking issues, and steering vibrations”.
According to Skoda, there are more than 13 million damaged alloy wheels rolling on the UK roads. Considering that the average repair price for a single wheel is £67.50 ($92.60), if UK drivers wanted to repair all of their damaged wheels, the total cost would exceed £890 million ($1.2 billion).
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Close to a third of the 2,000 drivers that participated in Skoda’s research admitted they hit another vehicle or object while parking. A cool 83 percent of the participants said that someone in their own household caused the damage to their wheels, even though we believe some of them would say that as an excuse.
Besides the issues, a third of drivers feel quite confident when parking their car. In terms of the preferred style, 45 percent voted for bay parking and 18 percent said they prefer parallel parking.
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If you are wondering why did Skoda bother to research curbed wheels, it is to advertise the “Intelligent Park Assist” system of the new Fabia. The company claims that this technology will ensure a safe distance from the curb, reducing the risk of damaging the alloy wheels.
Similar to other semi-automated or fully-automated systems offered by various automakers, VW Group’s system finds a suitable parking space for the car and undertakes the steering, leaving the gas/brake pedals and the gearbox for the driver.
