Driving simulation software, often called swept path analysis software, models the space a vehicle occupies as it turns and maneuvers, so designers can check a layout before it is built.
The software traces the path of a vehicle’s wheels and body through a turn and draws the full envelope it sweeps. Designers use it to confirm that cars, trucks, buses and fire apparatus can make the turns a site requires. Widely used tools include AutoTURN and Autodesk Vehicle Tracking.
Where it is used in parking
- Turns at aisle ends, around columns and onto ramps.
- Entrance and exit lanes, gate islands and queuing areas.
- Loading docks, delivery bays and service roads.
- Fire access routes and emergency vehicle turns.
- Ramp profiles and transitions, with some tools checking vertical clearance and break-over angles.
Good practice
- Choose the right design vehicle for each area.
- Run turns at realistic speeds and with realistic steering, not only at the tightest possible radius.
- Check both directions and the routes that drivers will actually take.
The Parkonomics view
A layout that only works for a perfect driver at walking speed does not really work. Swept path checks are cheap compared with demolishing a column.
Related terms: AutoTURN, Design Vehicle, Turning Bay, Parking Geometry, Break-Over Angle, Computational Fluid Dynamics