diff --git a/common/params.cc b/common/params.cc
index 6b1c8d1..3e236bc 100755
--- a/common/params.cc
+++ b/common/params.cc
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ std::unordered_map<std::string, uint32_t> keys = {
     {"GsmRoaming", PERSISTENT},
     {"HardwareSerial", PERSISTENT},
     {"HasAcceptedTerms", PERSISTENT},
+    {"IgnitionOn", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
     {"IMEI", PERSISTENT},
     {"InstallDate", PERSISTENT},
     {"IsDriverViewEnabled", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd_parked.py b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd_parked.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d70e259
--- /dev/null
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd_parked.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+CLEARPILOT: minimal controlsd variant that runs while ignition is on but the
+car is in Park. Keeps CAN parsing and carState publishing alive (so thermald
+can see gearShifter and decide when to swap us out for the full controlsd),
+but skips all of the heavy onroad work — no model, no planner, no lateral or
+longitudinal control, no actuator commands.
+
+Manager swaps between this and the full controlsd via predicate flips:
+  - this runs when:  ignition AND not started
+  - full runs when:  started   (which requires ignition AND not_parked)
+
+The two are mutually exclusive — only one publishes carState at a time.
+"""
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+from openpilot.common.realtime import Priority, config_realtime_process
+from openpilot.selfdrive.car.card import CarD
+
+
+def _make_default_frogpilot_variables() -> SimpleNamespace:
+  """Safe defaults for fields read inside CarInterface.update / CarState.update.
+
+  We're not actuating anything here; these only need to keep the update path
+  from raising AttributeError. False/0 across the board is the safe baseline."""
+  fv = SimpleNamespace()
+  fv.conditional_experimental_mode = False
+  fv.experimental_mode_via_distance = False
+  fv.traffic_mode = False
+  fv.sport_plus = False
+  fv.long_pitch = False
+  fv.no_lat_lane_change = False
+  return fv
+
+
+def main():
+  config_realtime_process(4, Priority.CTRL_HIGH)
+
+  # CarD's __init__ blocks until it sees CAN + a pandaState, then calls get_car
+  # to fingerprint and write CarParams. Same path the full controlsd takes.
+  card = CarD()
+  card.initialize()
+
+  fv = _make_default_frogpilot_variables()
+
+  # state_update drains CAN, parses carState, publishes carState/carOutput/carParams.
+  # Internally blocks via drain_sock_raw(wait_for_one=True), so the loop is
+  # naturally paced by CAN traffic — no extra sleep needed.
+  while True:
+    card.state_update(fv)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  main()
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index 94710fe..74584b9 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -363,6 +363,9 @@ def manager_init(frogpilot_functions) -> None:
   params.put("GitRemote", get_origin())
   params.put_bool("IsTestedBranch", is_tested_branch())
   params.put_bool("IsReleaseBranch", is_release_branch())
+  # CLEARPILOT: thermald is the source of truth for IgnitionOn; seed False so
+  # the parked-controlsd predicate evaluates to False before thermald's first tick.
+  params.put_bool("IgnitionOn", False)
 
   # set dongle id
   reg_res = register(show_spinner=True)
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py b/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
index 0302fb5..97ba0bc 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ def only_onroad(started: bool, params, CP: car.CarParams) -> bool:
 def only_offroad(started, params, CP: car.CarParams) -> bool:
   return not started
 
+# CLEARPILOT: predicate for the parked controlsd variant. Runs while ignition
+# is on but the car is in Park (so started=False because thermald has gated it
+# off). Mutually exclusive with the full controlsd, which uses only_onroad.
+def parked_only(started, params, CP: car.CarParams) -> bool:
+  return params.get_bool("IgnitionOn") and not started
+
 # FrogPilot functions
 def allow_logging(started, params, CP: car.CarParams) -> bool:
   allow_logging = not (params.get_bool("DeviceManagement") and params.get_bool("NoLogging"))
@@ -82,6 +88,11 @@ procs = [
   PythonProcess("calibrationd", "selfdrive.locationd.calibrationd", only_onroad),
   PythonProcess("torqued", "selfdrive.locationd.torqued", only_onroad),
   PythonProcess("controlsd", "selfdrive.controls.controlsd", only_onroad),
+  # CLEARPILOT: lightweight CAN listener that runs while ignition is on and the
+  # car is parked. Publishes carState (so thermald can see gear); does no model,
+  # planner, or actuator work. Manager swaps it out for the full controlsd as
+  # soon as gear leaves Park.
+  PythonProcess("controlsd_parked", "selfdrive.controls.controlsd_parked", parked_only),
   PythonProcess("deleter", "system.loggerd.deleter", always_run),
   PythonProcess("dmonitoringd", "selfdrive.monitoring.dmonitoringd", driverview, enabled=(not PC or WEBCAM)),
   # PythonProcess("qcomgpsd", "system.qcomgpsd.qcomgpsd", qcomgps, enabled=TICI),
diff --git a/selfdrive/thermald/thermald.py b/selfdrive/thermald/thermald.py
index ac2f845..c9dd499 100755
--- a/selfdrive/thermald/thermald.py
+++ b/selfdrive/thermald/thermald.py
@@ -170,7 +170,17 @@ def thermald_thread(end_event, hw_queue) -> None:
 
   onroad_conditions: dict[str, bool] = {
     "ignition": False,
+    # CLEARPILOT: park-aware gating. When False, manager runs controlsd_parked
+    # (CAN listener only) instead of the full onroad stack. Latched + hysteresis
+    # on going-into-parked to avoid R↔P↔D thrash; flips out of parked instantly.
+    # Initialized False (assume parked) so the full stack waits for carState
+    # to confirm gear has actually left Park before spinning up.
+    "not_parked": False,
   }
+  is_parked = True
+  parked_since: float | None = None  # monotonic ts when gear first read as Park
+  PARKED_HYSTERESIS_S = 1.5
+  ignition_param_prev: bool | None = None
   startup_conditions: dict[str, bool] = {}
   startup_conditions_prev: dict[str, bool] = {}
 
@@ -247,6 +257,32 @@ def thermald_thread(end_event, hw_queue) -> None:
         onroad_conditions["ignition"] = False
         cloudlog.error("panda timed out onroad")
 
+    # CLEARPILOT: derive is_parked from carState gearShifter. Whichever controlsd
+    # variant is currently running publishes carState; we just read the gear.
+    # Going INTO parked has hysteresis (PARKED_HYSTERESIS_S) so brief P touches
+    # during low-speed parking don't kick the heavy stack off. Going OUT of
+    # parked is instant so the full stack starts spinning up the moment the
+    # driver shifts to D/R/N.
+    if sm.updated['carState']:
+      gear = sm['carState'].gearShifter
+      gear_is_park = gear == car.CarState.GearShifter.park
+      now_mono = time.monotonic()
+      if gear_is_park:
+        if parked_since is None:
+          parked_since = now_mono
+        if (not is_parked) and (now_mono - parked_since) >= PARKED_HYSTERESIS_S:
+          is_parked = True
+      else:
+        parked_since = None
+        is_parked = False
+    onroad_conditions["not_parked"] = not is_parked
+
+    # CLEARPILOT: expose ignition as a Param so manager predicates (which only
+    # see persistent Params, not pandaStates) can gate controlsd_parked.
+    if ignition_param_prev != onroad_conditions["ignition"]:
+      params.put_bool("IgnitionOn", onroad_conditions["ignition"])
+      ignition_param_prev = onroad_conditions["ignition"]
+
     try:
       last_hw_state = hw_queue.get_nowait()
     except queue.Empty: