THE days of squeezing into your car thanks to other drivers parking too close may be over for a lucky few motorists.
A viral TikTok has highlighted a key piece of car technology that can make the lives of all drivers easier in a major way.
TikTok users and couple Carter and Alex (@itscarterandalex) have racked up more than 2.8 million views on a video showing how they got out of a tight spot, literally.
The video opens up with Carter trying to get into the driver’s seat of his Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, finding himself unable to squeeze in thanks to a poor parking job from the driver whose car is in the neighboring spot.
While some drivers may have thought to enter from the trunk and climb through the cabin or simply wait for the other car to leave, the couple had a different idea and decided to try a feature on their Santa Fe.
After starting the car remotely, Carter is able to use the key fob to control the vehicle and have it pull straight out of the spot far enough that he can get in the driver’s seat.
This is thanks to Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist feature, an option on many of their vehicles which can prove invaluable in situations like this as Alex and Carter discovered for themselves.
“I guess Hyundai’s can be useful,” says Alex jokingly as the social media video ends, a sentiment commenters also agree with.
“My 2025 Hyundai Tucson Ultimate has it and I’ve used it quite a few times because people don’t know how to park their cars lol,” commented one TikTok user.
“Such an amazing feature!!! I love your Hyundai. I just bought a Genesis G80 and it has that feature. Very impressive,” added a second.
“We need this Hyundai in South Africa,” said a third.
While not available on every car, it’s one of the most invaluable features a vehicle can have of the many advanced driver assistance systems that are on the market today.
Little-known Car Features
How often do you look at features on your vehicle and not know why they are there? Here are some answers:
Gas Tank Locator:
- Drivers may or may not have noticed the small arrow next to the gas symbol on the dash.
- This indicates which side of the vehicle has the gas tank so you don’t need to stretch the hose over the car or get out of your vehicle to check before parking at a pump.
Road Condition Indicator:
- A snowflake icon might flash up on your dashboard when driving in cold weather.
- This informs drivers that temperatures outside are cold enough for the roads to freeze.
Secret Key:
- Vehicles that come with a key fob that uses buttons to open the doors often have a secret key for emergencies.
- On that one day that the fob battery runs out, drivers can often find a manual key contained inside the fob.
- There is often a button to press or a cap to slide off to reveal it.
