Parallel parking is the bane of many student drivers but is an important skill to master. Ford, however, is set to take away all the fun and automate the process in upcoming Lincoln models. The system, dubbed Active Park Assist in Ford speak, seems to create the same result as Lexus’s system but ditches cameras in favor of ultrasonic sensors.

Now, this isn’t a system that you can get out of the car, hit a button on the key fob, and away you go. Oh no, the driver still has to control the throttle and breaking but the system will take care of the steering. The Lincoln MKS and MKT will both get the option in mid-’09 and Ford has plans to fit 90% of its 2012 vehicles with the system.

With many drivers only parallel parking experience in drivers training, this system might help save some bumper paint. Hopefully though, the skill will not entirely disappear like map reading in this post-GPS age.