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.

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

City of Koblenz and evm have kicked off their smart city projects with a smart parking initiative using Cleverciti Sensors in the busiest shopping street the city has to offer

Munich, Germany - Less traffic looking for a parking space, fewer harmful emissions, better quality of life: three funded smart city projects promise great progress in climate protection in the city of Koblenz. Together, Energieversorgung Mittelrhein (evm) and the city intend to use modern digital solutions to achieve better air quality and air pollution control. 

Installed Cleverciti Sensor in Koblenz

In July 2020 the evm announced the kick-off of the project in the upper Löhrstrasse. The busy shopping street plays a central role in the project: "We are going to test smart parking in the upper Löhrstrasse and want to reduce the so-called parking search traffic here," explains Lord Mayor of Koblenz David Langner. In the next few weeks, certain parking spaces along the street will be equipped with 44 ground sensors that will provide information on occupancy. "In another part of the street, overhead sensors are used as well, which we install on street lamps," explains evm Board Chairman Josef Rönz. One sensor is able to detect up to 100 parking spaces. Digital display boards around the lampposts use this information to show drivers how many parking spaces are still available. Data protection is fully guaranteed: the sensors neither record videos nor photos, but only pass on information according to the pattern “occupied” and “not occupied”. 

High federal funding

One look at the statistics shows why it is important to reduce parking search traffic in Koblenz: between 18 and 25 percent of traffic in the city center is due to the search for parking spaces. This is one of the reasons why Koblenz exceeded the NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) limit value determined by the European Union - and thus has access to federal funds. The Federal Ministry of Transport is funding the Smart Parking project with around 170.000 euros from the „Saubere Luft“ (= Clean Air) program and the associated „Digitalisierung kommunaler Verkehrssysteme“ fund (= Digitization of municipal transport systems).

Progress since July 2020

On September 30, 2020 the evm published another press release in which they announced that all sensors, which areCleverciti Sensors, have been installed for the intelligent parking guidance system in the making. The installation covers the Löhrstraße section from the Rizzastraße intersection to Bahnhofsplatz, as well as the Peter-Altmaier-Ufer parking lot. Based on the information gathered from the sensors, drivers will soon be able to see on the Internet and on digital display boards how many parking spaces are still free.

By the end of the 2020 project year, traffic counters, air quality meters and a parking guidance system that digitally displays free parking spaces are to be installed. The benefits and effects of the projects will be measured over a period of three years. The projects are being implemented with the help of federal funding and the Thüga, the largest cooperative network of municipal energy and water service providers in Germany.

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

Munich, Germany, October 14th 2020 - Cleverciti, the German and US scale-up that is leading the smart parking revolution, announced today it has raised $5.6 million USD in an A+ funding round. All existing institutional investors participated in the round led by SPDG Ventures, including The Westly Group, EnBW New Ventures (ENV) and KfW. The investment brings Cleverciti’s total funding since 2015 to $28.3 million and will help the company expand its sales and marketing activities as well as accelerate deployment of its parking Solution as a Service (SaaS).

Cleverciti’s smart parking solutions help cities and organizations reduce traffic and emissions and increase parking and shopping revenue while allowing drivers to enjoy a smooth, stress-free arrival experience. Cleverciti has been deployed in a wide variety of use cases across the globe – at over 200 locations in over 20 countries. One of Cleverciti’s latest large-scale installations is the comprehensive on-street parking guidance in Cologne that launched in June 2020. Drivers are now guided turn-by-turn to an available on-street parking space with Cleverciti’s innovative digital signs on each street corner and a mobile app.

Since pioneering its edge-computing, AI-based IoT sensors, 360-degree guidance solutions, and vehicle location cards, Cleverciti has solidified its place as the technology leader in smart parking solutions and services. The sensors and digital signs are typically mounted on lampposts and up to 100 spaces can be monitored by a single sensor. Vehicle location cards identify the precise location of a vehicle in a parking area and automate payment and permits. With deployments in smart cities, park & rides, shopping malls, hospitals and corporate campuses, Cleverciti is defining the future of smart parking with innovative technologies. 

Olivier Périer, Chairman of the Board and Lead Investor, notes: “We are proud to have all of Cleverciti’s investors around the table in the middle of a worldwide crisis. It reflects the unique position Cleverciti is in: well-funded, leading the reduction of traffic and emissions in our cities, and allowing parking operators to manage their assets in a holistic way”.

“We evaluated smart parking solutions from all over the world before investing in Cleverciti.  We believe Cleverciti has developed the world’s best solution for smart, efficient parking and guidance, that will help cities reimagine how they can reduce congestion in downtown and retail areas.” said Steve Westly, Managing Partner of the Westly Group.

Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and David Parker, COO, are thrilled to be partnered with this esteemed group of investors to transform the parking experience: “We must reduce CO2 emissions, make our cities smarter and more livable and reduce wasted time and energy. Cleverciti makes an immediate impact in each of these areas, by allowing drivers to use our smart parking data and turn-by-turn guidance systems to park quickly and seamlessly.”

The international Cleverciti team consists of some of the brightest and most experienced experts from the fields of IOT, AI, and parking. Cleverciti’s headquarters are in Munich, Germany and Atlanta, US and their global sales and customer support organizations are designed to meet customer needs around the world.

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

Munich, Germany - On September 8, 2020, the German Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community, Horst Seehofer, announced the 32 projects that will receive funding in the second round of the “Smart Cities Model Projects”. The projects selected this year will be funded with over 350 million euros. 

With the Smart Cities Model Projects, the Federal Government is helping municipalities and/or cities to strategically shape digitization in support of integrated sustainable urban development. The aim of the funding program is to develop and test cross-sectoral digital strategies for future urban life.

A huge part of the project is knowledge transfer to benefit all municipalities in Germany. Therefore, the selected projects are obliged to participate in organized knowledge-sharing events as well as make sponsored software solutions available to other municipalities as open source or free software. 86 cities, districts and municipalities as well as intermunicipal cooperations from all over Germany applied for the tender by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. A new funding round was announced for next year already.

Cleverciti would like to congratulate all winning projects of 2020 (in alphabetical order)*:

1. Bamberg

2. Berlin

3. Darmstadt

4. Freiburg i. Breisgau

5. Gelsenkirchen

6. Gemeinde Barleben

7. Gemeinde Eichenzell

8. Gütersloh

9. Hagenow

10. Iserlohn

11. Jena

12. Kassel

13. Kirchheim b. München

14. Köln

15. Lohmar

16. Lübeck

17. Mannheim

18. Mönchengladbach

19. Paderborn

20. Rostock

As well as the following intermunicipal cooperations and districts:

1. Aalen & Heidenheim

2. Bad Belzig & Gemeinde Wiesenburg/Mark

3. Dortmund & Schwerte

4. Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm

5. Gemeinde Fuchstal with Gemeinden Apfeldorn and Unterdießen

6. Hamburg in collaboration with Leipzig & München

7. Landkreis Hof

8. Kiel with local communities from the regions Rendsburg-Eckernförde & Plön

9. Landkreis Mayen-Koblenz

10. Landkreis St. Wendel

11. Lemgo & Gemeinde Kalletal

12. Osnabrück with Gemeinden Hagen am Teutoburger Wald, Bissendorf & Samtgemeinden Fürstenau, Artland and Neuenkirchen

For more information about the individual projects follow the links mentioned above in the list (when available). More information about the Smart Cities Model Projects program in general can be found on: www.bmi.bund.de/smart-cities or on www.smart-city-dialog.de. 

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

Partnership with energy supplier RheinEnergie AG brings stress-free parking, cleaner air and lighter traffic to city of Cologne

MUNICH, COLOGNE (June 2, 2020) – Cleverciti Systems, the leading smart parking provider, went live today with one of the world’s most innovative and modern parking guidance systems for residents and visitors in the Cologne district of Nippes, one of the busiest districts on the Rhine. Now, motorists can read the exact number and direction of the remaining free parking spaces along the streets on local LED displays at road intersections, avoiding unnecessary searching and idling, and improving the overall quality of life. The ‘blind’ search for parking spaces, which has contributed significantly to the traffic volume and emissions pollution, is now a thing of the past.

A Circ™ on a lamp post in Cologne-Nippes

The installation was made possible through a partnership with RheinEnergie AG, the fifth largest energy supplier in Germany, and supports the “SmartCity Cologne Program”, a platform that brings together private individuals, companies, and associations to promote climate protection and renewable energy initiatives. The Cleverciti smart parking system installation significantly reduces traffic and emissions, and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure as part of the program “Digitalization of Municipal Transport Systems”.

“We are proud that with our modern systems and services we have been able to implement one of the world’s most innovative and comprehensive parking guidance systems in the inner city area,” says Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and founder of Cleverciti Systems. “From now on, all motorists in Cologne-Nippes will have exact information on the availability of parking spaces and will be able to navigate to the best parking space in a targeted manner and without delay. We want to make a decisive contribution to making parking stress-free through this service, improving the shopping experience in the city and significantly reducing emissions.”

“The Cleverciti solution was optimally integrated into the existing infrastructure in Cologne-Nippes,” says Dr. Andreas Cerbe, Network Director of RheinEnergie. “We operate thousands of light poles in Cologne, which are now equipped with the smart sensors and LED displays with little effort to reduce traffic and emissions.”

A Circ™ on a lamp post in Cologne-Nippes

A total of 89 Cleverciti Sensors, which monitor around 800 parking spaces along the streets in the district, and 27 Circ™ LED displays are installed on existing lamp posts and seamlessly fit into the local environment. The system takes into account all data protection regulations in public areas. The sensors are designed using artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing to provide precise data on parking space availability. These available spaces are displayed in real time on the omnidirectional LED displays and in a mobile app, and direct drivers to the nearest available parking space.

“A mobile app will also be available to motorists beginning the end of July, which will be provided by Cleverciti on behalf of RheinEnergie. It will show the current occupancy status of the parking spaces in Cologne-Nippes, navigate drivers to the nearest available parking space, and offer mobile payment options,” says Dr. Günther Picker, SVP for Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Development at Cleverciti Systems.

According to a survey by the National Platform Future of Mobility, intelligent parking solutions could reduce pollutant emissions by 900,000 tons per year in Germany alone.

For more information on the SmartCity Cologne initiative, please visit here. For more information on Cleverciti Smart Parking Systems, click here.

We are currently in an exciting time for the parking industry and parking managers specifically. Finally, technology is entering a space where, for a century, parking management has remained reasonably stagnant. The best part about it is that this technology is available to a range of organizations, not only the most elite shopping districts or enterprise business customers.

Whether through sensors, intelligent signage, or dynamic pricing, every parking manager can bring new technologies to push their entire parking organization forward. Read the 5 tips below to see how you can evolve your parking management.

1. Give yourself more (accurate) data

Data needs to be accurate and up-to-date to be useful. Parking managers can have a single person walk around the parking lot with a clipboard recording open and occupied spaces. Hypothetically, let’s say they cover the whole lot in an hour, reporting back that 207 out of 305 spaces are occupied, and even writing down which ones – does this help? The short answer: no. By the time that person returns to the office, any number of factors could change and the only information you would have is that in a specific time window, certain spots were now occupied.

Manual tracking is an out-of-date method. Today, technologies can automatically track which spaces are available and occupied, and report that back in real-time, keeping the parking management office always up to date throughout the day. These data are archived and can be analyzed to reveal valuable trends about which areas of the lot fill up first, when that happens, and how signage in the parking lot could best enhance a customer’s experience.

2. Give your patrons more data

Once you have this valuable mine of data, its value increases by sharing it. A business’s leadership certainly has a need and use for it, but the most value comes from exposing these data to the driver. Drivers spend several minutes searching for an available parking space near their desired location, before potentially having to give up and find parking further away (or just give up and go back home to order online). While the futile search is a shame, it’s also preventable. With smart parking guidance linked to real-time parking data, a driver knows upon entering the lot whether a spot is open nearby or not, and exactly where to find it. Whether they get their ideal space or have to drive a little further away, they have the benefit of not spending time, energy, or fuel looking in vain.

When a patron receives helpful, welcoming guidance upon their arrival, they begin their overall customer experience on a very positive note. This first impression helps the customer approach the rest of their experience with a positive, can-do approach, leading to higher revenues and higher return-visitor rates.

3. Improve your pricing

One of the best ways to improve your parking management is through further optimizing your pricing models, which is only possible once you have the right data. When you thoroughly understand your parking availability and trends throughout the day, week, or month, then you can discover new opportunities for pricing optimization. For instance, dynamic pricing models can vary the price of a parking space depending on demand – adjusted by an algorithm based on up-to-the-minute needs or pre-set prices for specific times. Or, spaces that are in higher demand could have higher pricing. The pricing for a parking area can be adjusted to maximize revenue and ensure that fill rates and revenues are maximized.

New technologies like the ClevercitiCard can even automate the arrival and payment process. A regular visitor can arrive with a ClevercitiCard in their vehicle, be guided to the nearest available space, and automatically charged just for the parking time they used. This service reduces another challenge in the parking industry: the confusion of how or where to pay. If an organization is bringing smart parking solutions to help shoppers quickly find a nearby space, it doesn’t make sense to have them locate a kiosk or double-check signs for hours of operation. Giving data directly to drivers eases their parking difficulties and shows a level of investment in their overall experience.

4. Manage from the cloud

Gone is the day when parking technologies were on isolated systems with no access from the outside world, forcing managers to be on-site to see the data they need, or making integrations with third-party systems complex and expensive. With modern, cloud-first technologies, data are now always accessible: from home or even the beach. When you want to add an innovative third party, you can now do so with a simple API integration – no astronomical costs or extra hardware required.

5. Do better for the community and the environment

Evolution is about the series of steps it takes to improve from a current iteration toward the ideal. Everyone should be more conscious about the impact our daily lives and processes have on climate change or the environment in general. Each individual person would probably like to drive less for the sake of convenience. Cutting out needless driving in the search for parking also diminishes the emissions that negatively impact the environment and contribute to climate change.

There are also two different ways to look at parking search and its impact on the environment: the grander sense of how emissions negatively affect the natural world but also how the unnecessary search for parking impacts people in the direct vicinity. Increased traffic means more noise and lower air quality for the people living and walking near parking areas. By taking steps to revolutionize the parking process, it lessens this impact. People living in these communities may have a more favorable view towards large businesses or districts that implement smart parking for the increase in living quality, and shoppers might find it more enjoyable to stroll in the area, potentially increasing shopping revenue.

With one simple step, you can help the businesses near your parking facility, improve the lives of shoppers and locals, and start making a positive change for the environment. All of these benefits come when you bring your parking organization into the 21st century.

We at Cleverciti know this, but the everyday citizen may not: Parking has an enormous impact on traffic congestion and the resulting emissions lead to negative environmental impact. Take this statistic for instance: In many cities, more than 30% of traffic is the result of people searching for a parking spot. Can you imagine how much that affects the environment?

So, what can be done? Quite simply, smart parking is the answer. Earlier this month, the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel wrote a powerful article about the negative impacts of inefficient parking search and found smart parking can make a significant contribution to reducing climate change — saving up to 900,000 tons of CO2.

“This is about half as much CO2 savings as is produced for all flights within Germany,” said FDP member of the Bundestag, Daniela Kluckert, who is in the Tagesspiegel Background. Furthermore, she stated the Federal Government must now stand up for “making smart parking a reality.“

The government in Germany is currently looking for a solution to solve the parking problem, which is an important step forward. Studies find that “Germans currently spend around 41 hours a year looking for a parking space” while the time wasted searching, the fuel required for it and the additional pollution cost Germans more than 40 billion euros per year.

The government is prioritizing the issue but that can take time. In the meantime, we can all work together to solve this problem because what we do every day directly addresses climate change. At Cleverciti, we get excited each time we deploy a parking space management and guidance system because we know we are reducing miles driven, pollution emitted and energy consumed. (And here is a cool fact for you: For every sensor we deploy, the environmental benefit is akin to planting more than 50 trees!)

What can you do today to reduce your impact? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re ready to make an organizational commitment, contact us to learn more about our solutions.

At Cleverciti, we see a bright future. That outlook is directly in line with the impact we realize through reducing the search for parking, urban traffic and congestion to help eliminate the effects of climate change. As a company, we are always looking to the future to envision how we can create a positive change. We predict some smart trends for our environment, cities and the smart parking market in the next 12 months but we are excited to be part of a collaborative effort to address them.

Smart cities will rise

In 2019, there was a lot of buzz around the concept of “smart” or connected cities. And it wasn’t all talk. When we attended the Smart City Expo World Congress in November, we saw that there was an incredible amount of activity and interest from cities that want to incorporate intelligent technologies to build smarter environments. But there is a digital transformation that has to happen first. Smart city project ideas are broad, budgeting is complex, and sales cycles are long, but we predict that 2020 will be the year that more smart city projects will be deployed across the globe.

When a city aims to adopt smart trends, it’s often to improve the overall experience for visitors, residents and businesses alike. That’s precisely where smart parking fits in. Drivers that have a great experience finding parking are more likely to travel into the city or different neighborhoods to explore stores or restaurants. The residents that are walking the street can also breathe easier when cars aren’t circling the block looking for an open spot, producing needless emissions.

Parking will continue to be an uphill battle

We expect parking issues will get worse before smart parking trends get better. Although some areas are already implementing smart parking measures, most cities are experiencing significant population growth, which affects traffic, parking and air quality. Smart parking solutions help to alleviate these problems, but still won’t be deployed to the scale they should in 2020. As populations increase, causing more congestion and fewer available spots on average, the need for smart parking will become more apparent and residents will demand them — but it will take a few years for this convenience to catch on.

The difficulties associated with parking and urban congestion from increasing populations will get better in the future as more areas implement intelligent technology solutions. Additionally, these technologies can easily scale from that point on to further grow and change to fit the expanding needs of a business, city or other parking administration. While it may not be an immediate change, we are convinced there will be a very real, positive impact from smart parking at massive scale in nearly every city in the future.

The opportunity of ride-hailing services

The complexity of parking has propelled the popularity of ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft. The use of these services is growing — a trend that will likely continue into 2020. However, while ride-hailing seems convenient for the user, it does not help the broader issues of traffic and urban congestion, excess emissions or parking availability. A driver still has to drive from their location to pick up the rider then take them to their destination — on average about 40% more distance driven. However, this transition to more ride-hailing presents opportunities for cities to repurpose existing parking assets to create mobility hubs and queuing areas. If ride-hailing services have real-time availability data of a nearby queuing area, they can improve their efficiency and reduce congestion and emissions.

Rich parking information also facilitates the use of public transportation. When smart parking is implemented at train stops, bus stations or parks and rides, users can know ahead of time which lots have space and which modes of transportation they can use. We have seen that when a driver knows in advance that they will be able to park at a station to use the train or bus, they are more likely to do so, consolidating the number of vehicles that traverse city streets.

Entering mainstream conversations

While consumers innately understand the parking challenges they face every day, awareness of smart parking solutions has been low in the general population. However, as consumers start to experience these smart trends firsthand in 2020, we expect consumers to start demanding them from their cities, shopping malls, office campuses, and other places they go each day.

No matter how these individual trends will shape next year and the years to come, Cleverciti is proud to be leading the way in helping cities to become smart by addressing parking issues, reducing vehicle congestion and cutting down on unnecessary emissions. We certainly see a bright future ahead.

By Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and Founder of Cleverciti

Before founding Cleverciti, I frequently encountered the same issue that every person at one time or another deals with: the lack of reliable parking guidance. Whenever driving, I had a simple goal: to find an open spot in a reasonable amount of time that was not too far from my destination. Unfortunately, as my wife can attest, my goal was often not achieved.

I knew that there were several problems with this being the norm. First and foremost, the extensive search and distance someone must go through to find a parking space could take even longer than anticipated. Secondly, the search for parking is a significant problem for the environment. While multiple factors are responsible for climate change and global warming, transportation is known to be a significant contributor to the greenhouse gases emitted annually.

Pollution from vehicles leads to poor air quality and that pollution directly contributes to climate change. But more efficient parking directly reduces vehicle emissions. Take this example, for instance: in a mall with 1,000 parking spaces, shoppers typically drive the equivalent of 75 times around the world each year, merely searching for parking guidance. Imagine the impact of reducing this by 30 percent: We can save 25 trips around the world.

Armed with my passion for the environment, I knew there had to be a better way. Basing the calculation of finding an open parking spot on luck or chance is simply an outdated approach. Modern-day parking guidance is the solution.

As a tech-obsessed entrepreneur, I have always enjoyed talking on challenges, particularly ones solved through technology and innovation. It’s that drive, in part, that brought me to examine the issues with parking guidance carefully and how an intelligent approach can improve global challenges. By bringing new parking guidance technology to the smart parking industry, I found the chance to harness my passion for technology to make positive impacts with regards to convenience, traffic and the environment.

I firmly believe that parking guidance technology like Cleverciti’s can simplify our daily lives and transform our environmental efforts. As we move into the next decade, we will be advocating the overarching benefits of intelligent parking, including health benefits. Because less stress for drivers, and decreased traffic contributes to a better environment. And that’s a win-win for us all. 

This blog is part of a series that will dive into key members of the Cleverciti team and how they leverage their personal experiences to best lead the company.

Thomas Hohenacker is the Founder and CEO of Cleverciti Systems. Founded in 2012, Cleverciti develops a comprehensive suite of intelligent solutions designed to ease the parking experience and enhance driver communication.

Here we are: the biggest yearly spending event in retail is here off, with holiday shopping efforts in full force. But while consumers battle with their checkbooks, retailers are batting for consumers. You’ve likely noticed that the news is scattered with stories about big box stores closing while online retail giants, such as Amazon, continue to grow. In fact, consumers spent a whopping $126 billion online in the 2018 holiday shopping season.

An NPR poll brings insight to the online versus brick-and-mortar war that has ensued, featuring the top motivating factor to shopping online: speed (quickly followed by convenience). When you think about physically going to a store to shop, these factors are often diminished by one major element: parking. But what if retailers could leverage technology to both decrease the time shoppers spend searching for a space and provide a better customer experience? Could this help push customers to return to in-store shopping?

Our customers think so, based on the following benefits:

Speed

Research shows that finding a parking spot at a shopping center can take up to 12 minutes. Cleverciti’s smart parking technology can change that. Through a combination of real-time detection of available parking spaces and digital signage guiding drivers to open spots, the time required to park can be reduced by 30% or more. In a shopping mall with 1,000 parking spaces, this improvement can result in annual revenue gains of more than $4 million.

A positive impression

As the first and last memory of a shopping experience, streamlined parking is key to creating a satisfied customer. Take it from us: In July, Cleverciti finished installing its smart parking technology at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s Ruhr Park, Germany’s largest open-air shopping center with more than 2,600 parking spots. Known for their devotion to innovation and service, Ruhr Park’s executive team wanted to deliver extraordinary service, convenience, and a hassle-free parking experience for its clients.

Creating rewards

In addition to streamlining parking, Cleverciti’s newest technology, the Cleverciti Card, can be used to reserve parking spots in specified areas. Imagine VIP customers being able to reserve a space in advance, which not only maximizes their time spent shopping, but also provides additional data to the retailer regarding the most loyal and top-spending customers, allowing salespeople to know in advance of the arrival of their best customers. For years, brands have created loyalty programs with rewards, bonuses and discounts, and now parking can become part of these efforts.

Utilizing data

Cleverciti’s solution is more than just sensors. Using edge-computing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT), the technology creates a unified and intelligent platform that provides customer and behavior data to retailers — something retailers are always craving. From the location of each parked car, to parking violations, to how long each shopper spends in the store, this information can help retailers learn about customer behavior, measure effects of marketing campaigns and plan more effective traffic patterns.

Reduced footprint

Consumers are starting to use purchasing power to get their messages and opinions across to businesses and brands, and we’re seeing this prominently when it comes to reducing emissions and global warming. A report by Nielsen found that 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, so it is likely that they will also pick a shopping center that has actively chosen to reduce its carbon footprint.

Smart parking technology directly relates to this effort: when shoppers spend less time searching for an open space, they’re releasing fewer emissions into the air and therefore cutting down on pollution. Cleverciti’s mission to creating a sustainable environment can be key to showing consumers that retailers care about more than just the bottomline.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are at a tipping point when it comes to winning back the hearts of consumers, but this effort is all about providing a better experience for the consumer than their digital counterparts. Cleverciti’s smart parking technology can create a more efficient, rewarding and sustainable experience for shoppers while also providing mission-critical information to retailers to continually improve the guest experience.

To learn more about how Cleverciti’s technology can help your business, connect with our teams here.

By Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and Founder of Cleverciti

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming how we live. From interactive entertainment and cloud-based services to self-driving cars and home automation, we’re all increasingly taking part in the connected world. And why wouldn’t we be? The IoT delivers many benefits (I know I’m not the only one who has asked Alexa to do the laundry, for example) for various aspects of life.

Cities are particularly well-positioned to experience significant benefits from the IoT. According to recent research from IoT Analytics on 1,600 real IoT use cases, the largest amount of projects were part of Smart City initiatives. The myriad use cases (from air quality monitoring to smart parking to real-time gunshot detection) can help citizens and visitors achieve better lives and help cities to stay reliably within their budget.

Even though the promise of the connected world is still in its infancy, there are already many proven IoT technologies today that are quickly gaining adoption across the world’s leading cities. The accessibility of these technologies makes it possible for any city to jump on the digital transformation bandwagon and deliver improved services for its citizens. New York City’s Smart City efforts, for example, include energy conservation through smart lighting and air quality monitoring. The city of Bad Hersfeld in Germany uses sensors to guide visitors quickly to available parking areas, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and pollution in the city.

IoT-powered Smart Cities: Now accessible to all

Thanks to extraordinary innovations from the global startup ecosystem, IoT devices have reduced substantially in cost while increasing in processing power. With this change, previously unthinkable potential is available at costs that are now accessible to nearly any city. I speak with cities every week who previously thought advanced IoT solutions were out of reach but are amazed to see the value they can generate for their citizens with a positive benefit to the overall financial position.

When considering a smart city solution, it is of course important to consider the financial impact. Many of the best solutions generate revenues or cut existing expenses, yielding a positive ROI very quickly. In addition, instead of large, up-front capital expenditures, some of the best solutions are available with a regular monthly fee structure, enabling cities to experience that positive ROI immediately rather than having to wait years for large up-front costs to pay off.

Some solutions can even be revenue generating. For example, curbside management solutions provide ridesharing and delivery drivers with a safe and efficient means to stop curbside, and also open the possibility for a city to charge a small transaction fee for each curb access event. Smart parking systems both increase utilization of paid parking spaces by more efficiently guiding users to available spaces and encourage more citizens to pay for the parking they use, thereby increasing parking revenues. Smart traffic management systems can automatically adjust traffic light timings to improve traffic flow and consequently improve timeliness of on-street public transit, leading to increased ridership and higher revenues.

The primary goal of these systems is always to improve city life for residents and visitors. The additional benefit of revenues or cost savings coupled with low recurring fee structures from IoT smart city vendors (versus large up-front capex) allows for cities to realize an immediate ROI and ease budgeting for future investments.

Data Privacy: Benefits of edge computing

As our world becomes more connected, data privacy issues make headline news nearly every week. Citizens place an enormous amount of trust in city officials to ensure that their data is protected, and that their security will not be compromised by living in the city. While technology has created some of these problems, technology will also help to solve them.

Today, sensors have become extraordinarily advanced. Power that was previously only available to super-computers can now be fit inside a low-energy consumption sensor. The term “edge computing” refers to sensors that don’t just sense data, they make sense of the data. With an edge computing model, sensors run its own advanced machine learning model in real-time, only sending data when certain user parameters are met. This approach ensures that no identifiable data is sent over the network.

Artificial Intelligence: Making sense of the deluge of data

The primary reason cities want to collect data is to improve situational awareness. However, they need to identify the right data to experience the most profound benefit. Smart city solutions generate millions of data points per day in any one city, and if implemented improperly can simply lead to confusion and data overload. That is why, now more than ever, artificial intelligence (AI) is part of the conversation regarding data collection. AI can be used to automatically pinpoint the data that is most important to a city and transform that data into useful, accessible information that enables quick and informed decision-making.

The best smart city solutions include dashboards and mobile apps that hide the complexity of millions of data points and instead present highly actionable information to the users. For example, video analytics can be used to identify and then manage traffic chokepoints. If a traffic jam is detected, users are notified and can take the proper action, such as opening up new lanes for travel or changing the current timing of traffic lights. These innovations are a valuable tool in data management and capture where vast amounts of raw data are uncategorized.

The digital ecosystem: Easing communication

Before the digital revolution, technologies were siloed and didn’t share a common language, and therefore didn’t “speak” to one another. Cities had to manually extract data from one system and then try to see how that information related to other events. This was a timely and complex process, to say the least. Today, we live in a much different world.

Open application programming interfaces allow for one system to communicate with another system, sharing data in a structured format. Through open APIs, different systems from different vendors are able to speak to one another, thereby eliminating manual work to gain insights that require looking at multiple types of sensor data together. Connecting information from multiple systems in one place provides myriad benefits to cities, allowing for the delivery of streamlined event-based information that enhances decision-making and accelerates response times.

IoT: The future of Smart Cities

There is no doubt that the IoT is impacting modern-day cities in a significant way. A combination of AI, advanced computing and contextually rich, real-time data streams delivered by IoT sensors and networks is makes smart city development affordable, accessible, and compelling moving forward. The IoT is the cornerstone of the digital transformation because it allows cities to optimize existing operations and excel at creating and pursuing exciting new business models. How will you grab hold of this opportunity?

This blog is part of a series that will dive into key members of the Cleverciti team and how they leverage their personal experiences to best lead the company.

Thomas Hohenacker is the Founder and CEO of Cleverciti Systems. Founded in 2012, Cleverciti develops a comprehensive suite of intelligent solutions designed to ease the parking experience and enhance driver communication.

We analyzed 634 smart parking solutions for smart cities. Cleverciti, Smart Parking, Parkwise, Stanley Robotics, and PayBySky are our 5 picks to watch out for. Learn more in our Global Startup Heat Map below.

Our innovation analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for smart cities. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising smart parking solutions.

Heat map: 5 top smart parking startups

For our 5 top picks, we used a data-driven startup scouting approach to identify the most relevant solutions globally. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 interesting examples out of 634 relevant solutions. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.

Which companies develop the other 629 smart parking solutions?

CLEVERCITI – SMART SPACE-MONITORING PARKING SENSORS (SSMPS)

With a growing population in cities, parking lots often have a lack of free spaces. By using smart space-monitoring parking sensors and generating real-time data on parking-spot occupancy, drivers can navigate to the nearest open spot. Data collected from SSMPS can also be used for further optimization of city traffic and parking pricing policies. The same information can be used to maximize revenue by detecting overstays and directing more drivers to underused spaces. Cleverciti from Germany offers a sensor solution that systematically gathers information on available and occupied parking spaces in real-time. Each sensor covers up to 30 parking spaces, and they can be mounted on lamp posts, buildings or masts without requiring roadworks. It generates updated data every 3 seconds and has a night time mode as well – without the need for additional lighting or infrared.

SMART PARKING – SMART PAYMENT FOR PARKING

Drivers often get stuck in parking lots, chasing pay stations or spending a vast amount of time searching for change. Cashless payment solutions are reducing the time for payment and make the procedure more convenient for Smart City citizens. Parking lot owners and city utilities are benefiting from automatic mobile payments too, as they save money on parking pay stations. The single-click-to-pay technology developed by Smart Parking from Belgium supports over 250 worldwide payment methods that are used to substitute payment terminals on parking lots. Their API can be used with any existing Parking Management System.

PARKWISE – REAL-TIME PARKING GUIDANCE SOFTWARE

Searching for free parking spots oftentimes causes additional movements and traffic on the streets. Drivers leave one parking area and start looking for another one, without even knowing if parking slots are available. With the usage of the Internet of Things (IoT) and real-time parking guidance software, drivers are able to communicate with each other and find empty parking spots faster, thus reducing the chance of possible traffic jams. The US-based company Parkwise develops a phone application using artificial intelligence (AI), which connects drivers through their smartphones, so they are helping each other to find empty parking spots easier. Furthermore, when a driver is about to leave their parking spot, the application notifies other drivers about the free parking space.

STANLEY ROBOTICS – AUTOMATED VALET PARKING

In large crowded spaces, like airports or shopping malls, people more likely to spend a huge amount of time searching for free parking spaces. Automated valet parking systems allow drivers to leave their vehicles in a special spot, where a valet take over and park the vehicle tight, in an efficient way. Stan, the robotic valet, by the French company  Stanley Robotics, is able to control all types of cars, at a maximum length of 6m, and can easily handle a 3-ton load. The robot is equipped with artificial intelligence which allows it to optimize parking lot space. Stan moves autonomously and adapts to different obstacles that might be in its way.

PAYBYSKY – PARKING BY SATELLITE

Municipal authorities face the problem of privately owned vehicles that are occupying public spaces. One way to resolve this issue is to use accurate satellite vehicle positioning algorithms and a built-in database of parking locations, time, prices, and rules including exceptions. The UK-based PayBySky’s satellite services are starting and stopping parking transactions automatically, so drivers only pay for the minutes they use. As a virtual, cloud-based parking payment system, PayBySky is easily implemented by Smart City authorities to control parking revenue and collect parking data.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 629 SOLUTIONS?

While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence for your Proof of Concept (PoC), partnership, or investment targets. The 5 startups showcased above are promising examples out of 634 we analyzed for this article.

Want to see how smart parking can work for you? Book a demo now:

Cleverciti is proud to announce the newest technology in our smart parking solution: The Cleverciti Card, the first system to seamlessly combine indoor and outdoor parking guidance, including single space occupancy detection, in a single platform.

Smart parking just got a whole lot easier (and smaller).

Cleverciti Card is a credit-card-sized “active card” that sits in the windshield of a driver’s vehicle and communicates with the Cleverciti System in garages, on-surface parking areas and on-street parking to deliver an integrated, frictionless payment and parking option for drivers. The addition of the new product makes Cleverciti the first indoor AND outdoor smart parking solution, perfect for any organization that wants to provide a more streamlined customer experience, including shopping centers, corporate parking lots and cities.

The Cleverciti Card brings a swath of new capabilities to customers, including:

Parking Location Services

The Cleverciti Card sends geofenced push messages to drivers to help find the closest parking spot, saving time (and fuel!) by minimizing driving in needless circles looking for a spot. The data collected through the entire Cleverciti system and now the Card, gives the driver real-time data to make parking simpler.

Operator Identification

The new technology allows the parking operator to view the exact position of a vehicle, as well as the identification of each user and their permit, reservation and payment status, via the Cleverciti Cockpit, the live management dashboard. All of this information not only empowers the parking operator to make educated decisions based on real-time data, but also provides historical analysis to better understand the end user’s behavior.

Permit approval

Because of the new data being sent to the parking operator via an individual’s cars, the Cleverciti Card can act as a digital permit, replacing physical permit cards or windshield stickers. The incorporation of the new technology can also minimize entrance and exit traffic in parking lots and garages.

Streamlined payment

In addition to the Cleverciti Card operating as a digital permit, it can streamline payment for parking. The technology can replace outdated payment boxes for cities and take digital payment for pay-to-park such as Park & Ride transportation locations. By mitigating the need of payment boxes and garage attendants, organizations can better utilize manpower and assets to focus on the future instead of fixing technology of the past.

Cleverciti currently has over 56 installations in 20 countries around the world. Its comprehensive suite of smart parking solutions is an ideal choice for organizations focused on a forward-thinking approach to customer service that also seeks to streamline parking and increase the revenue potential of their parking assets.

“With the Cleverciti Card, we can now offer a new level of parking guidance through the integration of permit and payment features for outdoor and indoor parking, without the need to install expensive infrastructure, such as single space sensors. We have placed the sensor, permit and payment functions into a single application, providing a truly seamless and comfortable parking experience for drivers,” said Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and Founder, Cleverciti. “Companies can now manage corporate parking in a highly efficient way, and organizations with the desire to manage multiple users, including valet parking, have now complete control over their parking assets.”

For more information about the Cleverciti Card, click here.

Largest open-air shopping center in Germany eases parking complexity, increases intelligence gathering and enhances the shopping experience with smart parking technologies

LAKE FOREST, Ill. & MUNICH– (BUSINESS WIRE) – Cleverciti, a leader in comprehensive, high-tech solutions for smart parking, today announces that Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s Ruhr Park shopping center,Germany’s largest open-air shopping center, has deployed Cleverciti’s advanced smart parking solution to monitor more than 2,600 outdoor spaces. Cleverciti’s high-end artificial intelligence (AI) sensors immediately guide visitors to any available area, eliminating unnecessary driving and wasted time when searching for a parking space.

With information updated every few seconds, Cleverciti sensors and its omnidirectional LED guidance system CIRC360™ combine to deliver instantaneous data on available parking spaces at the entrance to each parking aisle. Cleverciti’s AI and edge-computing sensors provide consistent reliability and offer the highest level of accuracy in all weather conditions. Comprehensive 360-degree sensors and signage are installed on existing lampposts and other poles to reduce the need for additional hardware and infrastructure investments, delivering additional ROI for the organization.

By leveraging the power of Cleverciti’s smart parking solution, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has invested in a sophisticated, resilient and efficient smart parking platform that eases parking complexity and provides more time to shop for the more than 11 million people that visit the facility annually. A mobile app, which provides directions to free parking spaces that are close to the areas they want to shop in real-time, empowers drivers to focus on the tasks at hand rather than searching for a space.

Ruhr Park is Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s third shopping center in Germany to be awarded with a 4-star label – a customer service initiative that represents the highest level of quality, service and shopping experience within the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield group. The 4-star facilities have to meet a total of 734 criteria to secure this rating. With a consistent focus on innovation and service, the shopping center strives to stay ahead of technology trends and invests in solutions that propel intelligence, operational efficiency and convenience.

“We selected Cleverciti because its intelligence and integrated smart parking technologies and services will facilitate a hassle-free parking experience for our clients,” said Andreas Ulmer, Center Manager, Ruhr Park. “In today’s complex retail environment, it’s essential that shoppers are provided with extraordinary service, convenience and efficiency at the places they choose to shop. Cleverciti supports our broader roadmap initiatives with the opportunity to streamline our parking operations while enhancing communication, which helps future-proof our investment and drive additional value across our organization.”

In addition to reducing visitor challenges, the Cleverciti smart parking platform also offers the shopping center management new levels of intelligence and real-time insight into the use of the outdoor parking areas, including the length of stay of each car, use of certain areas, historical data and heat maps on traffic patterns. Customized alerts can also be set for designated zones, such as loading areas where parking is prohibited. Cleverciti also easily integrates with other networked devices to enable organizations to build more advanced Internet of Things (IoT) deployments as needs expand over time.

“The Cleverciti smart parking solution is the ideal platform for high-traffic and dynamic areas, like shopping centers and retail facilities, that require the highest degree of intelligence. Shopping starts in the parking areas, therefore, it is critical to deliver a streamlined parking experience to ensure visitor satisfaction from the beginning,” said Markus Grauvogl, Vice President of Sales, EMEAR, Cleverciti.

Cleverciti has more than 54 installations in 18 countries around the world. Its comprehensive suite of smart parking solutions is an ideal choice for organizations focused on a forward-thinking approach to customer service that also seeks to streamline parking and turn parking assets into revenue generators.

Today we celebrate World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is air pollution and what can be done to reduce it. This is a goal that Cleverciti strives to accomplish every day, as it is a core part of our mission to make the world a healthier, cleaner place.

While multiple factors are responsible for things like climate change and global warming, transportation is known to be a significant contributor to the greenhouse gases emitted on Earth each year. For example, drivers spend an average of 17 hours each year looking for a parking spot, which adds up to an estimated $345 per driver in wasted time, fuel and emissions, according to a 2017 USA Today article.

But this can be changed with smart parking technology. At Cleverciti, we provide comprehensive technology solutions for clever parking management that enable drivers to spend less time searching for an available space and therefore reduces the impact on the environment.

From overhead sensors monitoring outdoor and on-street parking spaces, to intelligent analysis about driver behavior, to state-of the-art displays, and now, the ClevercitiCard, Cleverciti is the first step in ensuring a sustainable and hassle-free parking experience. Cleverciti is also the only parking solution provider to offer parking operators the ability to augment smart parking by adding capabilities for communications and out-of-home media engagement that generate additional revenue.

This kind of clever parking technology can help create a more sustainable urban life in cities. But municipalities are not the only entities looking to be more green. Organizations of all shapes and sizes, including shopping centers, office spaces and airports, are aiming to incorporate a wide range of intelligent solutions into their infrastructures to reduce emissions and their carbon footprint.

For instance, Cleverciti provides clever parking solutions to Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, a premier European commercial real estate company that specializes in large shopping mall spaces. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, who is known for their customer service experience, installed Cleverciti smart parking technology at their shopping center Ruhr Park to not only improve the entire guest experience for their 12 million annual visitors, but also reduce their impact on the environment.

As companies and cities alike are starting to understand their role in making our world a better place to live, Cleverciti is proud to be a part of the change we can hope to see on World Environment Day on beyond. By providing reliable data to intelligently guide users in the “parking jungle,” we allow drivers to make clever decisions, save time and reduce negative effects on our environment.

The parking detection, guidance and monitoring company Cleverciti Systems has announced it will showcase its “clever parking” solution for on-street and open-air parking management at Parkex 2018 next month in Coventry, UK.

It is launching what it says is the industry’s first 360 degree real-time digital signage solution for pole and aisle wayfinding, the CIRC360™, which is an omnidirectional floating LED sign that displays live parking information in 360 degrees and can be mounted on existing lampposts of any size and type.

“Capable of displaying selected information for drivers approaching from different directions, the CIRC360™ can be located directly above parking spaces and utilised for a range of dynamic on-street and open-air digital signage applications; including the combination of local parking guidance with advertising and other messaging, such as smart city data, as well as security notifications,” the company says in a statement. 

Cleverciti Systems is a disruptive solution combining IoT (Internet of Things) and big data expertise which has revolutionised the management of on-street and open-air parking. Now in daily operation in over 15 countries worldwide, Cleverciti is proven to be extremely accurate and reliable while also improving the standard of living of citizens.

“Its powerful proprietary overhead sensor technology and innovative Cockpit management software empower cities, property owners and operators to manage parking in a more intelligent and efficient way. Access to the Cockpit is seamless via Cleverciti’s REST API allowing authorised users to quickly and easily monitor and analyse highly accurate smart data (historical and real-time) on parking space availability, utilisation and other key metrics.”

The company adds that cities can leverage this information to significantly reduce traffic congestion and emissions caused by parking search traffic while also greatly increasing parking revenues. At the same time, parking operators – at airports and shopping malls for instance – are using the Cleverciti System to improve overall customer experience and increase the time for shopping, instead of searching for parking spaces, and that motorists benefit too from precise, real-time parking information allowing them to make intelligent decisions. It adds, “The Cleverciti platform offers real-time digital parking guidance via its parking app features which can be integrated into client apps as an attractive front-end. The Cleverciti app provides motorists with live overviews of available and occupied parking spaces, guiding them directly to the nearest available space in the immediate vicinity. Cleverciti’s shopping mall app will guide drivers directly to the nearest space of the store of their choice.”

Parkex takes place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK, on 13 and 14 June.

A shopping trip to one’s favorite retailer should be full of excitement and fulfillment; whether gathering the week’s groceries, picking out new outfits or searching for upgraded appliances, a successful outing is typically an enjoyable time.

But because shopping can also be stressful, customers are always hoping to arrive at a location that provides a hassle-free experience. This can be impacted by a number of factors, with one occurring before even entering the facility: parking. It probably wouldn’t take long for someone to think of a store in their city that gives them a major headache when it comes to navigating its parking situation and finding an open spot in a timely manner.

Because there are often large amounts of people trying to enter and exit the establishment at the same time, it’s understandable that parking might be complicated — but it doesn’t have to be. Retailers can ensure a seamless parking experience for customers by leveraging intelligent solutions that simplify the parking management process and increase satisfaction.

Deploying these systems can enable parking managers to enhance operations through 4 key areas:

• Parking displays, such as Cleverciti’s CIRC360™, an omnidirectional floating LED sign, can be mounted on light posts to show live parking information and messaging. Customers can feel comfortable when they spot this kind of sign, knowing that the retailer cares about their parking experience and their ability to immediately access the facility.

• Innovative technologies that leverage the power of interconnectivity, edge computing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) can deliver real-time identification of free and occupied spaces within outdoor parking areas.

• Drivers are dynamically guided to the free parking spaces through an LED sign’s intuitive communication platform, easing the search while reducing environmental impact.

• Signage, such as CIRC360™, provides the opportunity for shopping centers to display marketing messages and paid media sponsorships that drive branding and visibility, as well as emergency notifications and public safety alerts to keep drivers informed.

Parking operators can also take advantage of smart parking solutions to increase revenue by gathering intelligent data on parking habits and trends, allowing the facility to use its parking space more efficiently and adjust pricing according to occupancy dynamics.

When customers contemplate a trip to the store, they’re likely to consider both the time they’ll be able to shop and how long it will take them to find a parking spot — and the latter should not end up taking over the equation. Parking operators at retailers must reduce the complexity of this process to improve the parking experience for everyone involved.

By providing a powerful combination of precise parking data and instant local guidance in a single solution, Cleverciti helps shopping centers ease their parking challenges and improve customer service. Learn more here about how shopping centers in Slovenia, Chicago and Germany benefit from Cleverciti’s technology, and find out how parking at your establishment can be transformed.

Cleverciti Systems, a leader in comprehensive, high-tech solutions for outdoor and on-street parking detection, monitoring and guidance, marked the end of 2018 with strong results across its business as more organizations look to leverage intelligent, IoT-based solutions to streamline parking operations.

Cleverciti secured 13 new installations in Q4 2018 and projects more than 20 new deals to close in Q1 2019 in a wide range of targeted vertical markets, including retail, corporate campuses and smart cities. The company’s momentum further positions the company as a leader in the smart parking segment.

“Interest in Cleverciti solutions to streamline parking management in a number of environments using Clevercit’s sensor technology and wayfinding systems, incorporating artificial intelligence continues to increase as customers realize the value of this technology for improving day-to-day operations,” said Thomas Hohenacker, Founder and CEO, Cleverciti Systems. “This growth is a testament to the advantages of our unique technologies, which offer superior intelligence and reliability at a much higher value than other smart parking products on the market today.”

Key Cleverciti developments include:

• The Cleverciti suite of intelligent parking technologies — the CIRC360™, Cleverciti Cockpit and the Cleverciti Top Reach sensors — at major Unibail Rodamco Westfield shopping center in Bochum, Germany, and the Leto Shopping Center from the Malltech Group in St. Petersburg, Russia.

• Expansion into the supermarket arena, which generated four additional installations in Germany and Austria.

• Corporate campus wins at the Skolvovo Tech Park in Russia and at one of the leading utilities, EnBW, in Germany.

• Deployment of the company’s smart parking solutions in several cities in Germany as well as cities in Ukraine and Greece to reduce traffic and emissions as part of their Smart City initiatives.

• Park & Ride facilities in Germany and London are leveraging Cleverciti technologies to provide real-time parking information to authorities to help them optimize parking assets in more than 80 locations.

• Launch of the Cleverciti Global Channel Partner Program, which is designed to provide the support and service needed to successfully install Cleverciti solutions.

• Cleverciti was named one of the first companies in the “GSMA 100,” a global innovation initiative developed by the GSMA to identify and advance the next generation of connectivity and digital services and awarded the German American Business “Excellence in Innovation” award by the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACC) for its cutting-edge smart parking management technology.

Investment in the company’s sales, support and marketing efforts has resulted in increased visibility.

A lack of parking monitoring and guidance often leads to increased traffic, pollution and driver frustration for cities, retailers, airports and more, while also detracting potential revenue.

Cleverciti’s suite of products revolutionizes the parking experience, offering efficient local guidance with real-time parking data, as well as the ability for customers to display additional marketing and event messages.

“We are proud of the results we’ve achieved over the past six months and we look forward to continuing this trajectory and educating leaders on how to turn parking spaces into revenue generators for their organizations,” Markus Grauvogl, VP Sales EMEAR, said.

As a leader in intelligent parking solutions, the company seeks to help organizations reduce traffic and emissions, and increase revenue while allowing drivers to enjoy a smooth, stress-free parking experience. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with offices in Chicago and Atlanta.

It can be argued that technology moves at warp speed — and this old adage isn’t wrong. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a rise in some of the most innovative technology across multiple industries, bringing automation, intelligence and smart devices to the forefront of business. As we look forward to continued progression and development, there are a number of trends that will impact enterprise organizations around the globe.

Be prepared for what’s to come by taking note of these 9 trends:

1. Intelligent traffic and parking management. As cities, retailers, airports and more prioritize revolutionizing the parking experience, we’ll see more implementations of solutions that increase driver satisfaction by providing real-time communication and guidance.

2. Nontraditional advertising. The increased use of intelligent parking management solutions will also allow organizations to become more clever with their advertising, leveraging LED display screens that are multifaceted in their capabilities, including the ability to display marketing messages.

3. Data integration. We’ve seen that data is everywhere, and it will continue to proliferate nearly every aspect of the world, with a particular emphasis on city services, such as trash pickup and parking.

4. Digital transformation. The Internet of Things (IoT) will only continue to grow, with the opportunity to add more devices and services than ever before, creating the highest level of connectivity.

5. Artificial intelligence (AI). We’ve only just begun to see the possibilities AI brings to business leaders in nearly every market; as the technology becomes more mature, decision-making will be more intuitive and simplified based on unprecedented levels of data and insight.

6. Machine learning. When combined with edge computing, this application of AI enables streamlined and intricate data analysis, which has become critical in today’s fast-paced society and will be just as important moving forward.

7. Deep learning. Taking AI and machine learning to the next level, deep learning will allow organizations to leverage tools that make informed decisions at a moment’s notice.

8. Smart devices. From our phones to our appliances to our security systems, it’s become clear that smart devices are here to stay — and they’re only getting smarter. With cloud computing as a backbone, these devices will continue to connect through the IoT and transmit endless amounts of information between one another.

9. Network-enabled platforms. The ability of the aforementioned smart devices to speak to one another is paramount for optimal productivity, and this will help modernize and automate operations and processes in 2019.

The advancements we witnessed this year are not slowing down and we hope to see the most intelligent and efficient solutions in 2019 as systems become smarter and business goals become easier to achieve. We’re looking forward to a year full of progress and expansion.

It may sound like it, but deep tech is not the stuff of movies and science-fiction novels. Not anymore.

Since long we have been talking about high-end technologies or scientific techniques that would help revolutionise the world when used together or in conjunction with each other. These technologies are far more complex and bring radical changes to how we develop new things.

Experts and analysts have been trying to decipher when and where these technologies will make their impact and how long lasting their after-effects could be. As we approach the next decade, AI, IoT, Machine learning, Biotechnology, quantum computing and advanced robotics are shaping up to their full potential. They may take a long time and a lot of money to develop fully, but they can solve some very tough problems.

Swati Chaturvedi who coined the term ‘deep tech’ is the founder of a platform dedicated to angel investing called Propel(x). “We define deep technology as companies founded on a scientific discovery or meaningful engineering innovation. Most technology companies these days are built on business model innovation or offline to online business model transition using existing technology.” Deep tech is built from scratch, on something that does not really exist right now.

Here’s a look at few of the many companies developing applications using deep technology startups that can drastically change the way things function today.

• Biogenera works in the biotechnology driven pharmaceutical sector and is developing new DNA-based medicines for the treatment of specific illnesses such as tumours. It has developed the MyGenera platform to identify pathological and mutated genes and prevent diseases before the happen.

• Braincontrol has developed a technology that allows people to turn thought to action by using effective control systems. This technology helps people with physical disabilities to interact and connect with the world outside. Horus Technology works in the same field and has utilised deep tech to create a device that helps the blind ‘see’ the world around them with the help of robotics and AI.

• Empatica has developed a bracelet to help people with epilepsy by monitoring seizures. The bracelet detects the neural activity and body temperature of the wearer and processes this information to enable the user to steer clear of dangerous seizures.

Ecological applications

• Graphene-XT has developed a graphene suspension that produces high-grade graphene at lower costs with reduced environmental impact helping strengthen several industrial and construction based sectors.

• Greenrail has come up with a sustainable railway crossbar that is greener and smarter than its competitors. The cross has a lifespan exceeding 50 years, which is 20 more than its competitors and also incurs lesser vibration noise. It uses recycled materials and also generates energy from moving trains.

• Bio-on developed the world’s first biodegradable plastic and in 2017 presented a solution for bio-oil pollution restoration to eliminate hydrocarbons pollution.

• D-Orbit aims to deal with space junk by decommissioning and guiding the re-entry of satellites that have finished serving their time in space. It has developed a smart motor that is attached to satellite at the time of launch and removes it from the orbit in case of a major failure or end-of-life.

• Ribes Tech has an ultra-thin and flexible photovoltaic panel that turns sunlight into energy with ease and greater efficiency. A thin and flexible solar panel means it can be pasted on anything from roads and cars, to building walls and what not.

• Cleverciti uses AI to help drivers find free parking in cities, reducing air pollution in the process.

Daily-life Applications

• Trinckle 3D opens up the world of 3D printing to commoners by reducing barriers with the help of a cloud-based platform. This device will help making automation easier by speeding up the process of component manufacture and will also help cale up businesses by making it easier to duplicate parts and produce them on a large scale.

• Lexplore uses artificial intelligence to identify dyslexia in children. This Swedish company previously called Optolexia has combined automatic eye tracking camera techniques, Azure cloud-based services, reporting tools and data analysis and algorithm checkers to help in the early diagnosis of dyslexia. The statistical predictive model that they use to analyse large amounts of data provided by the camera has been powered by AI and helps tests all readers for signs of dyslexia.

• ApiOmat gifts companies the chance to mix their IT systems with mobile devices to efficiently create apps. Volkswagen launched their Digital Leadership app thanks to this company that aims to help connect businesses by going live with applications and IT related services faster and more efficiently than ever before. Their low cost and low code requiring tools helps designers create prototypes with ease which they can then beta-test and finalise significantly reducing development time.

• Roivant uses AI to help reduce the time and costs related to the drug development and manufacturing process. Founded in 2014 by Vivek Ramaswamy, the company raised $200 million dollars at a funding drive last year to expand their venture and spread to more parts of the US. The company is presently focusing its efforts on an Alzheimer’s drug that could help solve a lot of problems for several thousands of people around the world.

The Indian Picture

• Imaginate, Founder and CEO, Hemanth Satyanarayana, has the following to say about the impact of Deep tech, “Today, people generally refer to AI or machine learning as deep tech. Expanding the definition a little more, we have started integrating computer vision, image processing, AR/VR with the term. Deep tech is fundamentally a connection of different types of technologies to come up with a solution that has significant improvement over other products available in the market”.

• Ethx is one of the first Ethereum exchanges in India and was founded by Tarusha Mittal who believes that the platform provides a user-friendly, fast and secure solution to all cryptocurrency transaction related queries. It functions as a complete blockchain suite and provides users with the chance to contribute to a central network for tokens. Mittal predicts that Ethx will have over 5 million users by the end of 2019. Though a supreme court verdict on use of cryptocurrencies in India is still awaited.

• Pratilipi is the country’s largest online platform and bridges the gap between writers in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, and Kannada. It is a self-publishing platform for writers and works as a buying platform for the readers. It boasts of over 53,000 writers and 3.3 million plus readers. Shally Modi, the co-founder of Pratilipi, had the following to say about the company, “Pratilipi is a reading and writing platform for the next billion internet users who hail from the small towns and villages of India. It’s a storytelling platform for Indian languages.”

• Ossus Biorenewables is a Bengaluru-based startup that is developing clean, carbon-free, energy and recovery solutions. They use bH2 Plus to generate biohydrogen from industrial effluents and polluted water bodies. Founded by Suruchi Rao and Shanta Rao in 2017, the company is now partnering with oil and gas companies like ONGC and hopes to set up base in the US by 2020.

• Language learning startup, Multibhashi teaches English and other regional Indian languages to millions of users around the world. According to Anuradha Agarwal, the founder, “We are committed to teaching job-related English communication skills to the next billion users coming online. We fully realise that a task of this scale can only be accomplished through technology”. The app lets users connect with a tutor and get personalised services for the entire learning process.

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In its nascent phase, deep tech was a little difficult to understand due to its complexity. Startups deploying it could have a hard time finding an investor with the right amount of technical knowledge. But these startups have been successful at piquing interest and raising significant amounts of capital for investments. In fact, the year 2017 witnessed over $3.5bn being invested in this field with over 600 successful deals.

A study by Wavestone stated that Europe has been seeing considerable growth in investment with respect to deep-tech technologies, the projected growth exceeding three times the average growth since 2015. France is the global leader in terms of venture capitalist investments, and the UK leads in access to finance, followed by France.

Venture capital funds have contributed the most in Europe, like Kima Ventures, High-Tech Grunderfunds, Bpifrance, LocalGlobe, Horizon Ventures and Passion Capital. America too stayed well-represented thanks to Intel, Apple, Qualcomm, Microsoft Google, Cisco and Amazon. The most active European contributors were Siemens, Bosch, BNP Paribas and Swisscom.

EIT Digital is a European organisation consisting of a team of professionals who are passionate about digital innovation and entrepreneurship. It supports over 156 major European companies, start-ups and research institutes and has offices all over the world, including but not restricted to Berlin, Eindhoven, Helsinki, London, and Madrid. The EIT Digital Challenge, organised by them is a unique competition aimed at European deep tech companies.