By Founder & CEO Thomas Hohenacker

The answer is yes. Smart parking should be an integral part of a city’s streetscape. Now and in the future. Innovative smart parking systems can help reduce congestion and vehicle emissions in urban areas while also assisting drivers in finding the most convenient parking space.

Most of us are used to parking without any outside guidance – and while we do know that it is possible, it is also stressful and ineffective. In major cities such as Hamburg, Germany, up to 40% of traffic is caused by drivers looking for a space to park their vehicle. The average worldwide search time amounts to 20 minutes. With the help of smart parking, unnecessary driving in an already complicated environment can be reduced significantly.

Modern AI-overhead sensors on lampposts, in-ground sensors and other approaches detect available parking spaces in real-time, relaying the information to mobile applications and websites. Ideally, the information regarding the occupancy of spaces is also made available to drivers on local digital signage.

Smart parking in an urban context

Readily available parking spaces tend to be a rare commodity in crowded cities with drivers circling an area repeatedly on the look-out for a free spot. Smart parking systems can help maximize available parking by detecting all free spaces and guiding drivers to the most convenient one, allowing them to avoid unnecessary time loss.

The intelligent data gathered by these systems can be used by civic authorities, city planners, and parking operators to develop concepts for the smart city of the future.

In addition, smart solutions improve the monitoring of the appropriate use of dedicated zones such as handicap or delivery and of illegally parked vehicles while also decreasing operational costs.

Smart parking in a commercial context

In shopping centers and corporate car lots, smart parking can also improve the driver experience by guiding customers and employees to the nearest available parking space.

Furthermore, using visual displays in the form of dynamic LED signs for parking guidance enhances communication and allows operators to build revenue by adding advertising and informational messaging. By offering extra services such as smart guidance and informational messaging, customers can be incentivized to pay for said services, thereby increasing the parking revenue for parking operators.

Interested in learning more about smart city parking solutions? Click the button below to schedule a demo with a smart parking expert now.