EV Car for Oldies

jimbo jones on 25/03/2026 - 19:52

I have a mother in law that still likes to drive herself off to church, etc.
She seems bad at parking and judging distance now.
Ends up scraping or bumping into something every few months.

What EV cars have park assist and all round cameras for parking?

I've somewhat narrowed it down to:
Hyundai Kona Electric Premium (has pull out/pull in for park - not full auto-park)
BYD Dolphin - doesn't seem to have auto-park.
MG ZS - only really has parking sensors and side view assist with camera.
Haval H6 -> not sure she would drive a Haval and seems too big for single driver / drive maybe one church friend at most.

All of them have better drive assist then the current car, that only has the beep sensors for parking.

Are there other choices that ideally have self-park and the semi-autonomous safety features?

Automotive BYD Auto Car Haval Hyundai Motors MG SUV Electric Vehicle

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  • oscargamer on 25/03/2026 - 20:14
    +80

    Get her to resit her test. Sounds like she shouldn't be driving anywhere in any car.

    • DingoBilly on 25/03/2026 - 20:26
      +17

      Yep. Too many people hang on to their license for dear life well after they should be driving. At some point you need a transition plan to living without driving.

      I'm trying to convince my parents to stop driving at the moment and it's a nightmare. Scary as hell how lax we are about oldies driving.

      • pegaxs on 25/03/2026 - 20:45
        +12

        And they will literally be the ones on $30 a year for insurance because they are classed as the "safe" drivers.

      • braddsey on 27/03/2026 - 13:32
        +2

        Go with a transition approach. Get them using Didi/Uber (even taxi) for specific journey's until they're familiar with it. Then when the time comes they realise they are not losing their independence, and they can still get around even without a car.
        Also, if they give up their license be sure to look into half price Uber etc.

        My dad has early onset dementia, got him to finally give up his license this way. He now gets around fine. Complains about the cost but selling his car and cost saving on fuel, rego, insurance (and payments to body shop) he is way ahead. Plus he is meeting plenty of interesting drivers to talk to.

      • meong on 28/03/2026 - 02:48
        +1

        My wife recently got struck while on her bike by a 72 year old lady at a quiet suburban roundabout… My wife had the right of way and the old lady just simply didn't see my wife…

      • tenpercent on 26/03/2026 - 13:11
        -3

        I'm trying to convince my parents to stop driving at the moment and it's a nightmare.

        Are you volunteering as the chauffeurs?

        • goody on 26/03/2026 - 15:30
          +7

          When you take the cost of the car, running costs, repairs, insurance, rego, etc you soon come up with a total that probably means it's cheaper to Uber.
          Besides if they hit a kid they'll be knocked for six.
          Someone has to be the responsible adult and force the issue - in my family it was me and don't think I was ever forgiven.

  • ssfps on 26/03/2026 - 03:26
    +38

    Thanks for the post OP. People may down-vote us, but it's important we look after our parents.

    I myself am looking for a car for my father who recently lost 90% of his vision. He's also got arthritis and has difficulty gripping the steering wheel. I'm hoping to get recommendations of cars with soft steering, very loud audio cues on the lane-departure warnings, and a really soft rubber bumper that extends up and over the bonnet - the sort that prevents impacts from hurting pedestrians.

    • DMWalsh on 26/03/2026 - 10:18
      +7

      Just love your sense of humour - thanks for this………..

    • thrillho on 26/03/2026 - 07:18
      +4

      Gotta be a troll right.

      • bargaino on 27/03/2026 - 11:21
        +1

        I wonder who voted it down :-)

  • MS Paint on 26/03/2026 - 08:35
    +21

    We share the carparks with these people. FFS

    For the love of God get a fellow church goer to pick her up on Sunday.

    • SetTheFaqUp on 26/03/2026 - 12:10
      +3

      Imagine if she's the one driving and picking up others.

      • zedmd on 27/03/2026 - 17:05

        Church you say… Let's both go to heaven together. Oh, and no need to buckle up those seat belts, we're almost there 😇

  • Euphemistic on 26/03/2026 - 05:57
    +19

    "But shes a safe driver". Yeah, nah. All the sensors in the world arent going to stop her parking IN a cafe. Youll have some serious regrets the day she escalates from a scrape or a nudge to a full blown crash. Poor judge of distance today, poor judge of acceleration tomorow.

    Time to hand in the licence, not increase the technology.

  • pegaxs on 25/03/2026 - 20:44
    +15

    Jeezus Christ… If she needs that many driving aides and is that bad at parking, maybe she should just consider taking the bus? Or an Uber. A LOT of Uber rides in $30k+

    • GordonD on 25/03/2026 - 20:51
      -3

      aides

      That's an idea. Get her an aide. (Which is something quite different to an aid.) Have the government pay some business organisation to provide an aide to drive her car for her. And help her doing her shopping. And help her around the house. I'm sure doing that for elderly people who are past it wouldn't cost as much as NDIS. What, they already do it?

  • spackbace on 25/03/2026 - 20:27
    +12

    EV just sounds like something that would confuse her, and a more modern car would also confuse her with all the beeps and warnings etc

  • shaybisc on 26/03/2026 - 09:21
    +6

    She will end up mistaking the accelerator for the brake or the brake for the accelerator, the classic oldie move. Even active park assist won't stop that.

    But Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) will. I didn't think of that.

    • pegaxs on 26/03/2026 - 11:46
      +4

      She will end up mistaking the accelerator for the brake or the brake for the accelerator

      100% this.

      Nearly every single Boomer involved accident or collision that involves a "run away car with the accelerator stuck on", they have stepped on the accelerator and the car moves, so they push harder thinking it is the brake and the car goes faster, and the cycle repeats until collision. You can bet your life savings that if it comes up in the news, it will almost always be tagged with the word "elderly…" in there somewhere.

      I have spent a great portion of my career chasing phantom "It just sped up on it's own and pushed the brake as hard as I can and I still couldn't stop it until I crashed" looking to blame anything but their inability to control a vehicle due to their own skill shortage, and almost always, it is people in their later years that should have handed their license in a decade ago.

      But Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) will

      Yeah, nah, not how AEB works. If it is directly in front and above a certain speed, sure. If it is in reverse and she is trying to pull into a reverse car parking space, wheels turned, probably not.

      • iohnc on 26/03/2026 - 21:57

        The oldest Boomers just turned 80 this month (80 years and 9 months since VE day), give or take a few weeks, and plenty of people in their late 70s to early 80s are still perfectly capable of driving safely. The youngest Boomers are now in their early 60s, a large proportion of them still driving to work every day. Generally when you read about the type of accident you describe it involves older people than that?

  • Gunnar on 25/03/2026 - 20:48
    +5

    She seems bad at parking and judging distance now.
    Ends up scraping or bumping into something every few months.

    With those credentials, Tesla. She’ll fit in with a typical owner

  • slknv on 26/03/2026 - 11:15
    +5

    "What EV cars have park assist and all round cameras for parking?"

    Unfortunately sounds like my father in law - he has an Atto 3 with great cameras, sensors etc, still manages to bump into anything and everything around him. The unfortunate truth is that more elderly drivers just don't understand or comprehend this kind of modern tech, this applies to cars, phones, computers etc. "Younger" drivers can certainly appreciate and apply this technology, but we can't apply this to all age brackets.

    Honestly, as much as I absolutely love EVs, a new EV with all the bells and whistles is unlikely prevent a problem with is caused by reduced driver perception. Also the 10000% increase in tech, screens, buttons, noises, 3d imagery is just going to increase confusion and distraction. Stick with the old car and just accept it's going to get trashed.

  • Kayrhcp on 26/03/2026 - 08:38
    +4

    If she can’t park a car, she doesn’t need a sensor-filled EV. she should be not driving.

  • tp0 on 26/03/2026 - 14:11
    +2

    $50k of half-price taxi vouchers should do the trick.

  • mrkorrupt on 25/03/2026 - 22:44
    +1

    isnt it cheaper for driving / parking lessons
    hope you guys are forking out to fix the other items she bumps into

  • saltypete on 26/03/2026 - 08:42
    +1

    Consider something like the little Atto. Get her to try a few and see what she likes. They wont have self parking, but if it's squarish and she can estimate the corners it will help with the parking.
    For an EV make sure that she has somewhere straightforward to park and charge. Get something installed if needed. Something to just plug in under cover when she parks normally. Depending on how much she drives it could be just a power outlet and a granny charger.

  • SetTheFaqUp on 26/03/2026 - 12:08
    +1

    "Ends up scraping or bumping into something every few months."

    Hope it is not a kid that the car has been scrapped against.

  • Ponsonby on 26/03/2026 - 20:43
    +1

    No comment on the particular cases raised here but …..

    If we are thinking one tightening up on the group known as Oldies, we really need a rational risk assessment about the Oldies group (putting aside individual cases). Yes, as a group, and putting individuals aside, their physical driving skills would be likely to be declining (although years of experience might balance this a bit) but distance covered by this group would almost certainly be lower on average than other groups. So for Oldies, the risk of adverse events per km might indeed be higher but what about the annual aggregate risk per Oldie driver, given lower kms covered? And balance that with the benefits that extending driving life brings in terms of quality of life and independence.

    Compare the Oldies with another group, Young Blokes in Utes - putting individuals aside but as a group, high kms covered annually, high self confidence and assertiveness, impatience, sharper faculties but lower driving experience, more alcohol/drugs/phone distractions, more powerful vehicles. What is the comparative risk per km? and the annual aggregate risk?

    Moving on from the risk comparison of different groups, the best answer probably lies in more frequent testing of all drivers, at least every decade. Oldies already have versions of this in most states but the regime for them could be toughened up. Youngies and Middlies have nothing - after receiving a licence, you generally have a whole life of driving with no testing until you become an Oldie!

    • derrida derider on 27/03/2026 - 15:17

      Yes, and insurance premiums do not lie. Insurance companies are very unsentimental - they set premiums to make a quid, not to foster independence in oldies.

      That oldies get cheap car insurance compared with the young is a very clear indication that they have fewer accidents than the young. True, part of that is that they spend a lot less time on the road than tradies in diesel double cabs - but that's all part of the risk calculus. I've got a neighbour who I'd not hop in his car with for a trip at night on the freeway, but he never drives more than a few km to the shops etc and never outside a 60 zone so he's actually quite low risk. Parking lot dingles are a lot less worrying than head-ons and t-bones.

      Quite simply failing senses cause less problems on the road than impatience, aggression and overconfidence. Which are the faults of the young, not the old.

  • LFO on 26/03/2026 - 21:21
    +1

    Are there other choices that ideally have self-park and the semi-autonomous safety features?

    Yes, a hired chauffeur will be able to provide all of those and more.

    Not exactly what the OP describes but I am always surprised that even filthy rich seniors prefer to actually drive their +$250 Mercs (or whatever) rather than sitting at the back and be chauffeured around. Money is for those benefits and not to be dealing with the peasantry and their peasant cars, narrow parking, road congestion, contagious stress. It does surprise me a lot.

  • whyisave on 26/03/2026 - 22:20
    +1

    Mother in law seems bad at parking and judging distance now.

    Get her the Smart ForTwo car.
    It's amazing for people who are bad at parking ormis-judges distances (ie. poor depth perception).

    They are not cheap and not an EV, but they are very, very fuel efficient and great for old people to zip about, on their daily errands.

    Just don't be hoping the car will survive a crash with a cement mixer truck or some other heavy vehicle.

  • ReaperX22 on 27/03/2026 - 09:39
    +1

    Ignoring the fact she probably shouldnt be driving, period

    The smaller the car the better.

    The cheaper, the better too ideally but..

    Install those door rubber guards for opening doors. Put those small rubber bumper protectors on each corner as well. And even on the door handles.

    Get her a Yaris Cross Hybrid, forget an EV. She's going to forget to charge it honestly. And in 5 years when either she, or the govt decides she's unsafe to drive anymore, it'll hold its value better than an EV and can be sold for less of a loss.

    I've seen many elderly people on the road just.. Really struggle. That classic super close to the steering wheel, hunched over look, like somehow being 30cm closer to the front windscreen is going to help them see through the black dots in their eyes they haven't told anyone about…

    We should help our elders but that also means recognising when it's time to stop driving. They get discounted rates for public transport and whatever. They should utilise that, or get a friend to pick them up for church or those outings. It's time with someone else they can chat with, be social with, all without putting themselves and others in danger..

    • Euphemistic on 27/03/2026 - 11:25

      It'll hold its value better than an EV and can be sold for less of a loss.

      Im going to disagree with this. Who knows what fuel prices will be in 5yrs? But theg arent going to be any cheaper (than prior to this stupid war spike). In 5yrs the charge infrastructure is going to be even better. In 5yrs more people will be looking for city sized EVs. We will have an even better history of battery longevity data, which is already showing good signs.

      IMO worst case is that used EV prices will be comparable to ICE, but more likeky to hold their value better than ICE.

      • ReaperX22 on 27/03/2026 - 11:38

        In the case of my above recommendation; specifically around a Toyota Hybrid, toy yoda's explicitly hold their value well; even with higher fuel prices they're super fuel efficient/cheap to run..

    • derrida derider on 28/03/2026 - 15:16

      A little Atto1 would actually be ideal. They're just a buzz box minus the buzz.

      Range is a non-issue for her and they come damned near driving themselves. She will never need to use a public charger because, just like her hearing aids she will just plug it into an ordinary power point most nights (if she's at the stage where she can't keep her hearing aids charged then she is not fit to drive anything or anywhere anyway).

  • serpserpserp on 27/03/2026 - 20:52
    +1

    If no one else has mentioned it. Get the Xpeng G6, just the cheap version. It has great auto parking.

  • sam-1966 on 02/04/2026 - 17:50
    +1

    For some reason my late father suddenly became concerned about his driving and wanted to book a lesson - I told him I wanted to, too. We didn't get a chance to do it, but maybe you could 'challenge' her?

  • Wiadro on 25/03/2026 - 20:20

    A 2021 Mercedes-Benz B-Class looks like a mobility scooter to me

  • Benoffie on 25/03/2026 - 22:30

    Avoid the Haval. Way too big. In fact, I would avoid an EV altogether.

    I understand the immediate kneejerk reaction but how is mum going to charge it? Pay for it? Manage all the bells and whistles?

    If she's already teetering on the edge of licence surrender, going to an EV which doesn't drive the same will literally cause an accident.

    • jv on 25/03/2026 - 22:40
      +1

      Avoid the Haval.

      HAVAL spelled backwards is LAVAH

      • Benoffie on 26/03/2026 - 00:43

        And at the rate mum's driving, she'll need a Valhalla

    • derrida derider on 27/03/2026 - 15:40

      Charging an EV is no problem with the limited kilometres she does - plugging it into an ordinary power point most nights will be more than enough. It's no harder than charging her mobile phone or her hearing aids. Paying for it is the same as any new car - the only thing is that because her kilometrage is very low so is the saving in running costs of an EV.

      Managing all the bells and whistles is more complicated. If ergonomically well designed those bells and whistles will be hidden away and optional, with those that aren't being compulsory precisely because they need less cognitive effort than their predecessors. But I take the point that the interface on some EVs aren't well designed (but then neither are they on some upmarket ICE - BMW I'm looking at you).

      But OPD (One Pedal Driving) almost gets rid of a major accident mode people worry about with oldies - confusing accelerator and brake. And OP is right that autopark plus LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) and AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) materially reduces the risk of all accidents, big and small - that's exactly why they now score extra points in the NCAP safety ratings.

      • Benoffie on 27/03/2026 - 15:55

        Im just mentioning as FIL insisted on getting a Haval and no joke, we are there once a week dealing with stuff. And it's just the BS stuff - where's this, how do I do that etc. Nevermind it's stupid big.

        Ive driven the Konas a bit. They drive nice but the sensory change to having to brake to charge the vehicle is a fundamental difference in driving style. If people cant make that change, then just buy a little buzz ICE box

  • MynyMouqe on 26/03/2026 - 07:34

    BYD Atto 1 maybe? Doesn’t have auto-park but has the 360 cameras.

  • noz on 26/03/2026 - 12:03

    I'm all for EVs. but they aren't the answer for this person. If you insist they stay on the road then stick to something basic and don't let them anywhere near crowded car parks.

  • tenpercent on 26/03/2026 - 13:17

    She seems bad at parking and judging distance now.

    Is she getting shorter?

    Everyone is quick to imply 'oh she's getting old so her mind is slowing down' but perhaps she is getting shorter.
    Get her to check all the mirrors and the seat is adjusted properly.
    Has she had her eyes checked recently? Maybe needs glasses or a new prescription.

  • Daniel Plainview on 26/03/2026 - 13:59

    She seems bad at parking and judging distance now.
    Ends up scraping or bumping into something every few months.

    If she can't park without stuffing up - why would she be any better at all the OTHER things one requires to monitor as one drives on the roads?

    Takes quite the effort to kill someone parking badly, but very easy to do if you're this much of a poor driver - less time finding her a new car, more time getting her driving test redone, eyes checked etc.

    Continuing to drive when you're completely past it is up with drunk driving for selfish, 'stuff everyone else' stupidity.

  • RedSky1 on 26/03/2026 - 23:06

    Hyundai Inster Cross? 360 camera and parking sensors, lots of safety features and nice and small so less easy to hit things.

    Specifically not only the multi-view 360 but also
    Parking Distance Warning - Forward/Side/Reverse (PDW-F/S/R) function w/ dynamic guidelines & contour guidance display

  • forkus on 27/03/2026 - 09:09

    MG IM5 or IM6

    Appears to have auto park or something along those lines.

    Other option is to remove her car, remove her license and setup Uber for her.

  • Save 50 Cent on 27/03/2026 - 11:54

    I think she needs a fully automated self driving car.. won’t be too long before they are readily available.

    • goody on 29/03/2026 - 10:01

      There's a youtube video where Musk has been saying full self driving cars "by next year for sure" - every year since 2014.

  • megaalc on 27/03/2026 - 12:26

    uber

  • mrvaluepack on 27/03/2026 - 13:15

    Tesla with fsd package or use uber.

  • gromit on 27/03/2026 - 16:28

    As others have stated, it sounds like she needs her license taken away not to be given a different death machine. trouble judging distances and parking means she is going to have similar issues in traffic and at speed, she is an major accident waiting to happen. Save the money and use on Ubers, safer and will probably cost less.

  • Windows7forever on 27/03/2026 - 20:18

    Get her a $1k bomb car

  • THICKnSLOW on 28/03/2026 - 08:02

    FSD is designed for those incompetent drivers who make shit loads of mistakes. It's not designed for people who just want to watch YouTube and read a novel while 'driving' from point A to point B - but that's how it's marketed and that is what I tend to see on public roads currently - it shits me to tears how technology is being misused and adopted by the wrong demographic.

  • cybapete on 28/03/2026 - 08:34

    i think an older driver would have a fair bit of trouble adjusting to a new car with all the sensors and alarms
    the car would be beeping every five minutes and she'd have no idea why

  • Lunarboogie on 28/03/2026 - 08:54

    If it's just for the odd Church trip, why don't you or your spouse drive her? It sounds like your mil is one accident away from harming herself and others.

  • brad1-8tsi on 30/03/2026 - 14:23

    Based on observing my parents & inlaws, all the tech in the world won't help and quite possibly will hinder the issue due to the changes in the newer vehicle.

    Let them drive their own car and keep bumping it. At least it won't be as upsetting when they scratch it. Also, the cost to upgrade will buy a lot of Ubers & Taxis.

  • McSquintus on 26/03/2026 - 10:59
    -2

    Got similar concerns with my mum. She can drive to the shops fine, it just makes me nervous. If I had a lot of more money coming in, I'd buy a Tesla with a FSD subscription.

    • Euphemistic on 26/03/2026 - 20:09
      +4

      That isnt a solution for a non-competent driver. Tesla SUPERVISED FSD will need a competent driver to take over and do so with a quick reaction time.

      Older drivers either need simple no frills cars they are used to without added tech or to have had several years dealing with it. New technology and a panic situation will not go well together.

      • ReaperX22 on 27/03/2026 - 09:59
        +1

        Agree! My mum's the same - 'I don't want the bings and bongs!' - they spent decades driving without them, in some cases it's worse/more distracting to have them for their generation!

  • jv on 25/03/2026 - 20:10
    -6

    EV Car for Oldies

    Envoy Vauxhall ?

    • pegaxs on 25/03/2026 - 20:42

      *vomit emoji.png*

      The sporty Corti 440 Mk 1 is a much better looking and collectable vehicle…

      • jacross on 26/03/2026 - 07:35

        My aesthetic preferences are the opposite of yours.

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