This is a device that helps to park the car in the garage at the right distance.

The idea is to give different signals when the car approaches a certain distance. It uses Arduino, an ultrasonic distance sensor, an addressable LED strip and a speaker. The device is installed at the end of the garage at bumper level.

• When the distance from the sensor to the car exceeds 1 meter (or whatever you cinfigure), it is considered that there is no car, the device is in standby mode. There is no sound signal, a running blue light is displayed on the LED strip (to let you know that the device is on and ready to go).
• When a car approaches, the LED strip lights up. As it gets closer, more LEDs light up, and the color smoothly changes from green to orange. An audible signal is also played, the duration depends on the distance.
• When the car approaches closer than the threshold distance (let's say 15 centimeters), the color of the tape changes to red and the tone of the sound also changes. This means that the car should be stopped here. When the car stops in this zone, after a while, the beeper turns off and a single white pixel lights up on the tape, indicating the current position of the car. If the car starts moving again, the tape indication and the speaker will turn back on until the car stops again or drives away.

To make this you need:

• Arduino Nano board
• HC-SRO4 Ultrasonic distance sensor
• 2 inch speaker (these were used in older PCs)
• Medium power NPN transistor (e.g. BD139, КТ815) or mosfet (to drive the speaker)
• 200-500 Ohm and 1 Kilo Ohm resistors (any power)
• Addressable LED strip
• GX12 Connectors (for LED strip; 3 pins are enough, I used 5 pin just because I had them)
• 5.5 x 2.5 mm power connectors (socket thread diameter approx. 10 mm to fit the hole in case)
• 5 Volt power supply. The current depends on the number of LEDs, 2 Amps will be fine in most cases.
• Suitable cables and wires
• Screws
• Basic skills in arduino, electronics and soldering
• Garage and car (optional)
• 3D printed case (even more optional)

Creality

Ender 3 Pro

No

No

0.2

20%

When printing the cover, enable bridges to make a good hole for the USB connector.