What is smart parking exactly?

There’s a lot of talk about smart parking these days. But what is Smart Parking exactly?

Smart parking describes parking management solutions geared towards assisting drivers to avoid circling around without information regarding available and occupied parking spaces. Reliable smart parking provides accurate data and immediate guidance, therefore reducing search traffic and vehicle emissions. 

Modern AI overhead sensors on lampposts, covering a large area of all types of outdoor spaces, provide real-time data that can be fed into mobile applications, websites, and local digital signage. In the past, magnetic field in-ground sensors have been used for marked parking bays. 

Real-time insights

Today’s smart parking solutions enable immediate and up-to-date detection of available parking spaces, helping to optimize on-street parking in urban areas or the use of surface parking at shopping malls, train stations, hospitals, and corporate campuses. In these surroundings, smart parking management aids in minimizing unnecessary driving in an already complicated environment while also reducing emissions and a waste of fuel and time.

Smart guidance for drivers, businesses, parking operators, and civic authorities

Smart parking is relevant for four main target groups: the general public, businesses, parking operators, and civic authorities. The average driver spends ten to twenty minutes looking for a parking space, which is not only a waste of time and a serious stressor but also has a negative environmental impact. Smart parking systems provide reliable guidance for drivers, thus simplifying their journey.

In business settings such as shopping centers and corporate offices, smart parking management can not only help improve the customer experience, thus increasing revenue, but also positively impact productivity. Less time spent looking for available parking spaces means less stressed and more productive employees. Dynamic LED displays used as part of smart parking systems can be mounted on existing infrastructure such as lampposts and are visible to drivers from any direction. They also offer the opportunity to build revenue by adding advertising and informational messaging. 

For parking operators, smart parking can provide valuable input on parking and customer habits, making it easier to enhance the customer experience and streamline parking management. In addition, smart parking enables parking operators to improve monitoring (for example, the appropriate use of dedicated zones such as handicap or delivery zones). Furthermore, the hourly or daily parking rates can be adjusted based on supply and demand.

In many cities around the world, civic authorities are trying to reduce emissions and the environmental impact cars are having on urban areas. By employing smart parking solutions, search traffic and therefore also emissions can be reduced significantly.  

In a larger context, smart parking solutions reduce traffic hazards and emissions, therefore contributing substantially to the quality of life in cities. These concepts are part of smart cities, where IT infrastructure is put into place and used to enhance the quality of life.

Real-life example: Cologne

In the German city of Cologne, smart parking has been put in place to reduce search traffic in one of the busiest districts, Cologne-Nippes. 360 degree LED displays at road intersections inform drivers where they can find parking in any direction and how many spaces are currently available. The data is also fed into a mobile application. Drivers no longer have to rely on sheer luck when looking for a parking spot, saving time and fuel as well as reducing emissions and noise pollution. 

To achieve this, a total of 89 Cleverciti Sensors monitoring approximately 890 parking spaces were installed on existing lampposts together with 27 Circ360™ LED displays, fitting seamlessly into the streetscape. By leveraging artificial intelligence, these solutions and technologies allow for a real-time overview of available parking spaces. 

Also watch the video below in which CEO Thomas Hohenacker explains what he believes is smart parking.

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