Twice now, while parking my 2016 Prius nose-in to a curb, I have overridden the curb and damaged the low-riding front lip enough to require a $1500 replacement. What devices (low-tech and high-tech) are available to let me know exactly how close my nose is to a curb?
You have probably already searched the internet unsuccessfully for some sort of device. Most of what you can find is reinforcement for what is already there. Some years back I recall there was a luxury line of vehicle that made use of ultrasonic distance detection and hydraulic vehicle leveling with the suspension system to avoid road hazards dynamically while driving. Might have also worked on the lowly parking lot bumper. Best I can come up with is a trained eye and a slow, careful creep into the parking spot or a passenger spotting for you.
Install a 1.5 inch body lift kit. It isn't those parking curbs that's damaging you lower air dam; it's those rebars sticking out of the top of them - meant to hold those curb in place. If they protrude up a bit, they hook your air-dam as your backing out. I carry a 3# sledge hammer, on the rear floor board for that. Of course you need to see that protrusion before driving over it.
I just stop sooner, never use wheel stops. Our frontmost underpanel is is miracle, held together with fiberglass mesh and two-part epoxy, due to years of "experience". There are spring-feeler things, make the front end look even more like a catfish.
If you stop short; just make sure your butt isn't hanging out too far into traffic. The person parked next to you, may hit or scrape your rear quarter panel or corner; while they're backing out and swinging around. LoL; I haven't seen those things in ages !!!! Don't know how well they would work with all the plastic on modern cars. They won't be able to transmit the scrapping vibrations throughout the plastic as opposed to the old metal of those land yachts.
