107 hours—that is how much time drivers in the U.S. spend looking for a parking space. In Europe, numbers vary between 60 and 90 hours per year. This is not only a colossal waste of time, but it also negatively impacts the environment and causes enormous economic losses. When drivers are unable to find a parking space, 34% resort to either parking their car illegally or canceling their planned activity altogether. 

Smart parking can remedy the situation. As a study pitting drivers using smart technology to find their parking space against those relying on sheer luck has shown, those using smart parking systems spent 43 percent less time driving. Innovative parking systems can be employed in a number of different environments, four of which have been outlined below. 

Smart Parking Use Case #1: Tourism Destination

While tourism is vitally important for many economies and regions around the world, popular destinations often struggle with an onslaught of visitors during the high seasons. One of the side effects is an increase in traffic, affecting not only a destinations’ popularity among visitors but also severely disrupting inhabitants’ daily lives. Visitor flows need to be steered in a way that tourists can easily find parking spaces at their destination while not decreasing the quality of life for inhabitants. 

The German “Tourismus-Agentur Lübecker Bucht” sought to devise a concept that would direct the 1.5 million day visitors per year along the coast efficiently. Those visitors usually head for the parking lots closest to the beaches, which fill up rapidly. Next, drivers will search aimlessly in adjacent parking lots or residential areas, inevitably causing congestion and traffics jams. 

To remedy this problem while also lowering CO2 emissions and providing a less stressful environment for residents and tourists alike, the tourism agency together with Cleverciti implemented a parking system to monitor real-time occupancy of parking lots close to a popular beach. This smart parking system allows visitors to find out ahead of time whether there are still parking spaces available and directs them to alternative parking areas if necessary. 

Read the full case study here. 

Smart Parking Use Case #2: City 

With a large number of people relying on personal vehicles in their daily lives, cities often suffer from traffic jams and congestion, many of which are caused by parking search. This not only lowers the quality of life in cities but also impacts the environment negatively, with almost 30% of carbon emissions being caused by parking search traffic. According to research, one car circling around while looking for available parking emits approximately 1.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide. 

The city of Cologne, Germany, had a similar problem in one of its liveliest districts with drivers spending large amounts of time on their parking search. Together with Cleverciti, the energy provider RheinEnergie aimed to improve quality of life and reduce emissions in the neighborhood by implementing a smart parking system in Cologne-Nippes. 

As part of this system, Cleverciti Sensors monitoring the availability of parking spaces as well as LED display relaying relevant parking information to the drivers were installed. This resulted in previously unused parking spaces now being used optimally, thus providing a valuable service for Cologne’s citizens and generating additional income for the city. 

Read the full case study here.   

Smart Parking Use Case #3: Office

For corporate campuses that service a large workforce, communication is critical to the effectiveness of a smart parking solution. In many cases, drivers lack accurate guidance that helps them find available parking under time pressure. 

EnBW, one of Germany’s biggest energy providers, had a similar problem in its office locations in Stuttgart and Biberach. In both locations, the parking situation was confusing with employees often having to spend valuable time on their parking search. In addition, there was no comprehensive parking data available to support intelligent infrastructure decisions. 

Cleverciti developed a comprehensive parking guidance system for both office parking lots, helping to reduce parking search times significantly by providing real-time occupancy data per single parking space that is used to feed into the EnBW parking app. This greatly improves the overall work environment while also saving on working time and reducing harmful vehicle emissions. 

Using existing infrastructure to install the Cleverciti Sensors that monitor the parking spaces meant that no extra installation costs were incurred. Cleverciti’s end-to-end solutions also include remote maintenance and other services, meaning that internal administrative efforts are minimized. 

Read the full case study here.  

Use Case #4: Train Station

Many cities around the world are trying to promote local train services and incentivize citizens to use public transport instead of their personal vehicles in the hopes of reducing traffic and harmful vehicle emissions. Especially in rural areas taking the train to work often includes a short car ride to the train station, which means that parking spaces have to be readily available. However, the challenge lies in finding a parking space at the train station quickly and easily while under time pressure. Unnecessarily long parking search times can be a reason for people not to take public transport at all.

The municipality of Kerken in Germany wanted to tackle this challenge: Its proximity to major cities meant that many inhabitants commuted to work daily but found it difficult to find available parking spaces ahead of their train journey. 

Municipality officials worked together with Cleverciti to remedy the situation, implementing a comprehensive parking service that supplies drivers with accurate information regarding the availability of parking spaces ahead of time and diverting them to alternative parking should their initial destination be fully occupied. 

To that end, Cleverciti Sensors were installed on several lampposts, some of which had to be equipped with battery-powered solutions to provide electricity 24/7. These sensors monitor the parking area and provide accurate information about the availability of parking spaces. 

Read the full case study here. 

Want to know more about our smart parking solutions? Click the button below and schedule a demo with one of our smart parking experts directly.

Suppliers of smart parking sensors worth mentioning are Nedap, EnSight and Cleverciti. 

First of all, it is important to define: what makes a good sensor? A good sensor is:

• reliable in all weather conditions

• detects vehicles even in floating parking space rather than (only) detecting individual parking bays

• easy to install, on existing infrastructure

Cleverciti Sensor

Cleverciti, a global company with offices in the US and UK and headquarters in Munich, Germany, has managed to harness the power of edge computing, artificial intelligence, and deep learning to provide a smart parking solution that shapes the streetscape of smart cities. The Cleverciti Sensor measures the exact position and size of open parking spaces, supplying drivers and parking operators with highly reliable, real-time information on available spaces.

With a range of up to 220 degrees, the Cleverciti Sensor can cover up to 100 parking spaces through edge computing, IoT & AI technology. It does not have to be installed in-ground but instead makes use of existing infrastructure and can be mounted on lamp posts, masts or buildings. Depending on the surroundings, the installation of one sensor takes less than one hour. Should the needs change, the sensors can easily be relocated.

Data captured by the sensors is updated every three seconds, allowing real-time detection of available parking spaces. Processing of the data occurs within the sensor itself, meaning that no video leaves the sensor. This not only minimizes bandwidth costs but also ensures that the smart parking system is fully compliant with privacy regulations. In addition, data transmissions are fully encrypted.

Would you like to see for yourself? Then click below and schedule a demo by one of our smart parking experts.

From the invention of the first parking meters, parking technology has come a long way, allowing today’s users to independently navigate the entire parking experience. As technologies continue to advance and parking behavior changes, smart parking is bound to evolve as well. Let’s take a look at the smart parking developments we can expect to see in the future. 

1. Increased Efficiency of Parking Systems

The present generation of parking systems offers basic automation, offering users information on the occupancy status of parking spaces and enabling automated ticketing and payment. Within the next ten years, however, users will expect an increase in the efficiency of parking systems. This will entail, among other things, direct guidance to an available parking space and real-time information about other mobility solutions in the vicinity. 

2. Growing Shared Mobility Market

As much as 50% of current car owners predict that shared mobility services will replace private car ownership—mainly because car sharing is, in many cases, cheaper and more sustainable. The shared mobility market is expected to be valued at $619.5 billion by 2025, which is bound to also impact smart parking. 

3. Including Increasing Mobility Mix in Smart Parking

As transportation systems become more and more integrated, parking operators will have to take a variety of transport options into account. Drivers will need accurate and real-time information on mobility solutions ranging from cars and ride-shares to scooters, public transport, and bicycles. 

4. Reducing Emissions with Smart Parking Systems

As cities around the world set out to reduce their harmful emissions, smart parking will be an increasingly important part of environmental initiatives. Deploying a citywide smart parking solution is the fastest way a city can reduce its traffic congestion—and with that, its emissions. Other changes such as a switch to more electric vehicles or more efficient air conditioning and building insulation require many years of changes in consumer behavior, while smart parking shows its effects almost overnight.  

5. Increasing Analysis of and Need for Parking Data

As parking requirements change, parking operators will have to analyze changes in parking behavior. In-depth analyses require data. Smart parking systems will therefore not only have to provide reliable services to users but also generate accurate data on parking behaviors, peak hours, etc. 

6. Restructuring Parking Spaces to Accommodate Autonomous Vehicles

With the rise of autonomous vehicles, parking spaces will have to be replanned and restructured to accommodate their needs that differ from those of conventional vehicles. They will change the usage of cars in general and parking modalities in particular with their self-parking features and robotic valet parking. 

Download our full guide to smart cities and the future of smart parking by clicking the button below. 

Atlanta, March 5th 2021 - A smart parking system devised and implemented by Cleverciti is set to reduce parking search in Redwood City by 45%. As businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues are set to reopen, Redwood City is expecting an increase in parking demand in its Central Business District, where drivers have had to search for parking for up to 30 minutes during peak times before the pandemic forced businesses to close.

Parking demand has dropped by 90% and now stands at 50%, illustrating just how hard Redwood City’s stores, theaters, and restaurants were hit by the pandemic. “We’re really focused on the 3 R’s: respond, restore, and reimagine,” says Jessica Manzi, Redwood City’s senior transportation manager. “As economic activity picks up in the coming months, this program is going to help support our businesses.”

By reducing parking search times, people will have more time to shop, dine or simply run their errands faster, freeing up parking spaces for the next customers more quickly. 

A network of Cleverciti Sensors will identify on-street parking, surface lots as well as parking garages. LED signs will provide turn-by-turn directions to the nearest available parking space. The smart parking system is set to launch in the summer. 

Watch the news segment from ABC7 Bay Area about the case in Redwood City below:

Silicon Valley is known for widespread early adoption of the latest and greatest technologies for businesses and consumers, but one area of the Valley has yet to undergo a tech makeover: parking. Sure, there are mobile apps for metered parking, faster routes to avoid traffic, and time travel tracking apps, but what about the basic act of searching for parking itself? In an area where the population is dense, private vehicles are popular, and fuel emissions are of great concern, the raw issue of parking can deliver positive, meaningful outcomes for communities, businesses, and the environment. 

We are thrilled to share a newly formed partnership with Redwood City’s Central Business District which will help catapult the area’s parking into the 21st century. 

What does this mean exactly? Imagine driving to the Redwood City Business District and, rather than leaving early to maneuver congestion and circle the blocks to look for parking, you pulled into town, looked up and digital signage directed you right to an available spot. No more aimless searches, wasting time, and getting frustrated. No more needless emissions from idling vehicles. 

Cleverciti’s solution will feature space guidance for seven surface lots, eleven garages, and over 4,500 parking spaces. It will integrate with the city’s mobile app, PayByPhone mobile payment provider, and IPS Multi-space pay station, ensuring a connected and seamless experience across the city’s full parking ecosystem.

“Redwood City has made it a priority to innovate and improve its transportation systems, this includes the parking infrastructure. We must think more creatively and more holistically about parking and its daily interaction with Redwood City’s patrons; it plays a critical role in the future of mobility and in supporting our local economy, ensuring easy access to many of our small businesses,” said Christian Hammack, Parking and Transportation Demand Manager, RWC. 

“We partnered with Cleverciti Systems because they developed a comprehensive solution that considers everything from improving air quality to providing drivers with an extraordinary service and data.”

We are thrilled that Redwood City is modernizing its parking and setting the bar for other cities to follow suit! 

For the full press release and visuals, you can download here:  

Munich, February 19th 2021 - Cleverciti is proud to announce the publication of the Ultimate Smart City Parking Guide 2021. When you say smart city parking, you say Cleverciti. That is why we’ve decided to gather all the stats and put down our knowledge and share it with you through this essential Smart City Parking Guide. The complete guide can be downloaded here. 

Why an Ultimate Smart City Parking Guide?

Because smart cities are becoming both increasingly popular and important. Smart cities are the future and smart parking plays a vital part in the development of smart cities. It’s time to shed some light on the challenges that (smart) cities face and how smart parking can help conquer those.

What can you expect from the Ultimate Smart City Parking Guide 2021?

Our aim is to share our knowledge with regard to smart cities, smart parking and new mobility (smart city mobility), and to shine a light on the role smart parking solutions play to support your smart city design.

What’s inside the Ultimate Smart City Parking Guide 2021?

• A detailed analysis of the challenges that cities face today

• Real solutions that tackle these challenges

• The influence of climate change on the development of smart cities

• Insights into the future of smart cities in 2021 and beyond

• The role of smart parking in the development of smart cities

• Emission reduction due to smart parking

• Concrete use cases of smart parking solutions in smart cities

• Insights into the future of smart parking

Download the guide now.:

Here is a sneak preview:

According to the UN, more than half of the world’s population live in urban areas, with numbers expected to rise to up to 60% by 2030. This means that urban settlements already housing millions of people in megacities such as Delhi, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Shanghai are projected to grow further.

This trend in urbanization goes together with unique challenges, such as increasing costs of living, lack of adequate and affordable housing, environmental and infrastructure issues as well as public transit and traffic networks that are not fit to cater to an increasing number of inhabitants.

Smart cities provide solutions that focus on using technology, data, and information to improve the quality of life, spanning from publicly accessible administrative services and smart housing to smart mobility solutions. In smart cities, data is used to reduce the negative side effects of living in densely populated areas, which can range from environmental pollution to stress-related illnesses.

Real-life Example: Smart Parking

With an increasing number of people living and working in cities, the number of commuters and people traveling by car, bicycle, public transport or on foot also continues to grow. Congestion in most large inner cities is already common, with people spending as long as 20 minutes or more looking for available parking spaces. This not only adds to already congested urban areas, but it also increases emissions and environmental pollution. Smart parking solutions such as modern AI-overhead sensors mounted on lampposts and walls can provide real-time data on free parking, allowing drivers to navigate to the nearest parking space quickly and efficiently.

In cities where the center is chronically congested, alternative parking spaces outside the inner city area can relieve the parking situation. Real-time data on available parking spaces can make it more appealing for drivers to park their cars there and use alternative means of transport to travel the last few miles towards their destination.

Smarter Cities for a Smarter Future

Other areas where smart cities can help improve the overall quality of life include smart housing, smart administration, and smart infrastructure. With environmental pollution already being an issue cities are aiming to tackle, smart infrastructures can make cities eco-friendly by creating sustainable structures for supplying electricity, gas, and hot water.

Curious to see how Cleverciti’s smart parking solutions contribute to smart cities worldwide? Then click below and schedule a demo with one of our smart parking experts.

In Lübeck Bay, a popular tourist region on the northern coast of Germany, Cleverciti has helped to effectively steer the visitor traffic flow by implementing Cleverciti Sensors and the Cleverciti Cockpit to monitor and generate real-time data for over 100 parking spaces along the coastline. 

Scharbeutz

The customer

With approximately 1.5 million overnight stays and 1.5 million day visitors per year, Lübeck Bay is one of the most popular tourist regions in Germany and one of the top destinations in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Due to its close proximity to the city of Hamburg, it is a beloved trip for people that want to escape city life and enjoy some quality time at the beaches of Scharbeutz and Timmendorf. The Tourismus-Agentur Lübecker Bucht is responsible for the promotion and sustainable development of tourism along the entire stretch of the coast. The agency is made up of representatives of three adjacent municipalities – Scharbeutz, Neustadt, and Sierksdorf – to enable a coordinated smart tourism approach.

The case

Lübeck Bay welcomes a high volume of guests especially in the summer, resulting in traffic congestion as tourists search for available parking spaces. One of the main challenges of the area is the lack of information regarding the occupancy status of the various parking lots near the seaside. The local tourism agency wishes to manage the visitor flow alongside the coast more efficiently. To be able to do that, Cleverciti was selected to implement smart parking systems to monitor the real-time occupancy status of two parking lots near a popular beach.

The Cleverciti solution

Cleverciti monitors approximately 100 parking spaces divided over two parking lots via 9 overhead Cleverciti Sensors, which were easily installed to the existing lamp posts. The occupancy data generated by the smart parking sensors are made available to the tourism agency via the Cleverciti Cockpit, a comprehensive parking management dashboard. 

Cleverciti Sensor in use in Lübeck Bay

“Cleverciti has implemented the project in an excellent way. They have fully responded to our wishes and needs and have delivered high quality. We are looking forward to the next steps,” says Paul Stellmacher, Deputy Chairman of the Tourismus-Agentur Lübecker Bucht.

The result

The Cleverciti parking system was installed and deployed quickly and easily. The operation of the sensors is now running without any administrative or operational effort by the tourism agency. The live parking data is integrated into various websites, reducing parking search time for tourists and improving the quality of life for local inhabitants. 

In addition to that, the Tourismus-Agentur Lübecker Bucht has been awarded the German Tourism Award 2020 for its concept to better direct visitor streams. The agency was one of five nominees out of 158 applicants. Due to its ongoing success, the Cleverciti system will be rolled out to other parking lots in Lübeck Bay.

Download the full case study below.

44 Terms All Smart City Leaders and Urban Mobility Professionals Should Know

1. (Driver) adoption

The (driver) adoption is the level of acceptance of the new solution among the intended user group. In other words: does their new behavior reflect what was intended? Do they accept and follow the newly implemented system? Cleverciti, for example, together with their clients, monitors the behavior of drivers before and after implementation of the smart parking solution to measure adoption.

2. AI / Artificial Intelligence

AI or Artificial Intelligence, which is a broader name for the theory and research that involve the intelligence showcased by machines, instead of the natural intelligence displayed by humans and animals involving consciousness and emotionality. 

3. Arrival experience

The arrival experience is the first impression customers/guests get after they have arrived. The moment the customer parks is the first experience he/she has with your service level. That is why it is so important to create a pleasant arrival experience. 

4. Carbon footprint / CO2 footprint

The carbon footprint or CO2 footprint is a calculation of the carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organization or community.

5. Carbon neutrality

Carbon neutrality means having a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere with the goal of achieving net zero emissions.  

6. Circling

Circling is the behavior of drivers when they drive around a certain area constantly searching for a free parking spot.

7. (Traffic) congestion

Congestion is also described as overcrowding or blockage. Traffic congestion occurs when the space of the road is not enough anymore to handle the amount of vehicles in traffic.

8. Curb management

With more people ordering online and using ride-hailing services, managing the curb is becoming increasingly important. Curb management solutions include monitoring the loading zone occupancy, identification of vehicle types, issuing permits in advance and more. 

9. Deployment

Deployment is a term used in IT to describe the installation or activation of a new solution. 

10. Dynamic pricing

Dynamic pricing is adapting the price for rental of parking space based on the demand.

11. Dynamic reservation

Dynamic reservation means offering the possibility to drivers to reserve a parking spot ahead of time via an app or website. These reservations can be altered at any point, and become free for another reservation. 

12. Edge-computing

Contrary to cloud computing, with edge-computing, data is not processed in a data center, but in the device itself or by a local computer or server. That is why it is also called a decentralized computing paradigm. 

13. End-to-end-solution

An end-to-end-solution is a solution that covers a process or service from beginning to end and is completely functional on its own without being dependent on a third party.

14. Environmental impact

The environmental impact is defined as any change to the environment resulting from a certain activity, service or product. More recently, this term is used mostly to describe negative effects on the environment.

15. Floating parking spaces

Floating parking spaces are parking spaces that aren’t marked with lines on the ground, for example along the street. Cars can freely park in a line depending on the size of the car. As floating parking spaces cannot be detected by ground sensors, Cleverciti works with overhead sensors that view the object, not the space.

16. Full-service solution

Instead of buying sensors or signs separately, full-service solutions offer a subscription to a full parking solution. This includes support, software as well as hardware upgrades, and even replacement of any failed or updated hardware—making your life easier and parking management more efficient than ever before.

17. GovTech

GovTech is about applying new technologies (such as artificial intelligence, advanced data processing, etc.) to improve the delivery of public services through increasing efficiency and minimizing costs.

18. Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT refers to a system of objects that are interconnected and together make it possible to collect and transfer data over a wireless network without human intervention.

19. Maximizing ROI / Maximize return

Return on investment is a standardized measure for profitability. Maximizing the return on investment for parking assets can be done by for example installing a parking guidance system or applying dynamic pricing.

20. Multimodal transport

Multimodal transport is the transportation of goods under a single contract(or), but performed with at least two different modes of transport.

21. On-street parking

On-street parking is parking by taking up room on the actual street alongside the curb, as opposed to parking in a parking garage or a designated parking lot. 

22. Overhead parking sensors

Overhead parking sensors, unlike ground parking sensors, are mounted above parking areas to more efficiently analyze the individual cars below. This type of sensor uses AI and IoT technology while being conveniently mounted on existing lampposts or buildings. 

23. Parking assets

Assets are items of property owned by a person or a company, regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies. With parking assets are meant: any assets that can be used for parking, such as surface parking lots, parking garages, on-street parking, etc.

24. Parking capacity / occupancy

The parking capacity or occupancy is the measurement of the number of taken parking spots, preferably measured in real-time, so that data on how many parking spots are still free is available at any given time. 

25. Parking data

Parking data is any data related to parking, e.g. parking occupancy, length of stay, specific rush hours in a region, average parking price, parking revenue generated.

26. Parking guidance (system)

Parking guidance is a system that guides the driver to the best available parking space. The most reliable way to do this is with local digital signage.

27. Parking request for proposal (RFP)

A parking request for proposal (RFP) is a public business document that announces and provides details about a parking project, as well as solicits bids from suppliers who will help complete the project. RFPs are commonly used by governments. RFPs usually don’t go into as much detail as tenders. 

28. Parking revenue

Parking revenue is the revenue that is derived from the rental of parking space against a certain price.

29. (Smart) parking tender

A (smart) parking tender is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential smart parking solutions providers.

30. Payment compliance

Payment compliance is the inclination of drivers to pay for their parking spot when they are requested to do so. Cities around the globe struggle to increase parking payment compliance.

31. Real-time data

Real-time data is information that is available immediately after gathering it. There is no delay between gathering the data and being able to access the data. Therefore, it depicts the status of that exact moment.

32. Search traffic / parking search / parking search time

Search traffic, also called parking search or parking search time, is the traffic that is caused by people searching for a parking spot. Around 30% of all traffic is attributed to parking search.

33. Smart city

Smart cities are cities in which the use of technology, information, and data is promoted to enhance and improve the overall infrastructure, quality of life, environmental impact and publicly accessible services. Smart parking solutions, as part of an overall smart mobility or transport plan, are key to the development of a smart city.

34. Smart city mobility plan

A smart city mobility plan is a strategic plan that addresses ways to apply urban mobility solutions to contribute to the development of a smart city. These plans aim to improve the quality of life for citizens and visitors with innovative and efficient methods of moving people and vehicles around the city.

35. Smart lamppost

Smart lampposts are the next generation of the traditional street lamppost equipped with connectivity, (solar) power, and other smart city devices. Existing infrastructure such as traditional lampposts can be transformed into a smart hub easily by adding innovative battery-powered solutions to reduce cost and hassle.

36. Smart mobility

Smart mobility focuses on new and other forms of transport rather than using your own car; such as ride-sharing, car-sharing, public transportation, walking, biking, electric charge stations and more.

37. Smart parking

Smart parking makes data available to drivers at the points where they need to make a decision and allows them to make informed decisions on where to park which gives drivers back time, reduces CO2 emissions and alleviates traffic congestion.

38. Smart parking system

A smart parking system uses real-time data to guide drivers to the best possible parking spot by using overhead sensors and digital signage.

39. Smart tourism

Smart tourism helps tourism destinations become more attractive to visitors by applying information and communications technologies to provide its guests with access to tourism and hospitality products, services, spaces, and experiences.

40. Solution as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS is a new approach to cloud computing that focuses on delivering all aspects of an IT solution as a one packaged deal.

41. Space management

Managing parking spaces effectively and efficiently by, for example, monitoring the real-time occupancy, visualizing actionable trends based on historic data or detecting floating spaces. Data is generated to make parking operations more efficient and increases ROI of the parking asset.

42. Transportation master plan

Transportation master plans are formulated by city governments and serve as a roadmap for investments in long-range transportation infrastructure.

43. Turn-by-turn guidance

Turn-by-turn-guidance shows the driver—in real-time and on every corner—where there are parking spots available and therefore guides them turn-by-turn to the nearest available spot.

44. Urban traffic

Urban traffic is a specific term for any type of movement of people and vehicles in a city. Urban areas worldwide seek innovative solutions to reduce urban traffic.

On November 19th, 2020, Cleverciti & Itron came together during their latest webinar that was focused on the implementation of smart lampposts in smart city projects around the world. This virtual event, joined by a record number of attendees representing more than 12 countries, was moderated by Cleverciti’s very own Joe Survance, who leads the US organization. The speaker panel consisted of:

• Itai Dadon, Global Head of Smart Cities at Itron

• Thomas Hohenacker, CEO & Founder at Cleverciti

• David Parker, COO at Cleverciti

Joe Survance

Thomas Hohenacker

David Parker

Itai Dadon

Itron, an important Cleverciti partner, for the implementation of smart city projects around the world, is a global leader in the management of energy, water, and other utilities in cities. Mr. Dadon, Global Head of Smart Cities at Itron, started off by stressing how important smart cities really are for us. “They are entirely created for us, for the citizens that the cities serve. Cities are under tremendous pressure these days, and COVID is adding to that,” Mr. Dadon shared. Smart cities help to make the lives of their residents better. The challenges that cities face are global. There are 3 categories of challenges cities face:

• Environmental (lower emissions)

• Social (improve quality of life)

• Economic (increase compliance and revenue)

It is of great importance to both Itron & Cleverciti to contribute with their technologies to directly help solve these challenges. 

Next, Mr. Hohenacker brings the topic to lampposts and explains the vital role they play in smart city projects. “First of all, they are everywhere. There are over 30 million streetlights in the US alone. And they are of extraordinary importance as they ‘overlook’ very important assets.” 

Cleverciti was able to solve parking search in cities by utilizing lampposts in 2 steps:

1. Building an accurate data layer of the whole city to be able to say which spots are available and which are occupied (by using Cleverciti Sensors)

2. Creating guidance technology to bring you to the nearest available spot (by using Cleverciti Sign, Cleverciti Circ)

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: parking search is extremely costly to society. 30% of all traffic is search traffic. It is no surprise that cities these days are eager to solve this problem and lower the ‘cost’. Lampposts play a key role in solving parking issues in cities. 

Cleverciti moves on by sharing three real-life examples of implementation projects in which streetlights were key in the solution to smart parking:

• City of San Antonio (in close collaboration with Itron)

• City of Bad Hersfeld

• City of Cologne

Curious about these real-life examples and their smart parking solutions? 

Watch the full recording of the event here: 

The presentation that was shared during the event can be found here:

An overview recently presented by leading institutions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) of all relevant tech start-ups whose solutions use artificial intelligence (AI) includes numerous pioneers in the field as well as the German leading smart parking startup Cleverciti.

Earlier this year, appliedAI (Germany), Ignite Sweden, AI Sweden and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden decided to come together to initiate a mapping of the current AI startup ecosystem in Europe. On November 17, 2020, during the virtual Sweden Innovation Days event the first version of the landscape was presented which includes over 500 deep tech startups from France, Germany, and Sweden, among which Cleverciti, as part of the subcategory of “Transport & Mobility”. Cleverciti applies AI extensively in its smart parking and smart mobility solutions.

The aim of the mapping is to shine a light on the top AI startups in Europe in order to drive AI adoption and create more partnership opportunities between startups and corporations. It was felt that once a centralized database of quality AI startups existed, corporations and SMEs would have easier access to AI partners they can trust.

The initiators of the mapping see great value in collaborations with AI startups in particular, simply because, while almost all companies require a broad selection of AI solutions, startups tend to focus on one specific niche, which can be the exact niche that the corporations are looking for. Secondly, AI systems increase in performance with more data and applications. Therefore, in non-competitive use cases, a technology from a startup that supplies many companies tends to perform better than a stand-alone solution for one specific application in one company. With AI being one of the most rapidly changing development fields, partnering up with startups allows companies to focus on value creation.

The first version of the European AI Startups landscape is subdivided into the following subcategories:

• Cross-industry startups

• Information technology & services

• Health and pharma

• Retail & commerce

• Enterprise software

• Transport & mobility

• Manufacturing

• Consulting

• Finance & insurance

• Agriculture, forestry & fishing

• Administrative & support services

• Energy

• Autonomous systems

• Language & communication

• Media & publishing

• Arts, entertainment & recreation

• Logistics

• Legal

• Public administration, defense, aerospace & social security

• Fashion

• Water, waste & environment

• Construction

• Education

• Real estate activities

• Mining & quarrying

Other German deep tech startups that are included in the “Transport & Mobility” subcategory are:

• Konux, the leading German AI/IoT startup providing smart sensor systems and AI-based analytics to deliver actionable insights and enable predictive maintenance,

• Lilium, a Munich-based startup working towards developing an all-electric jet with VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) capabilities,

• German Autolabs, a pioneer in automotive voice AI. 

Click below to see the full landscape. 

During these difficult times when public health is of the highest priority and traveling is difficult or impossible, most of us have come to realize just how much we appreciate visiting new destinations. It’s become such a big part of our lives, and now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, it turns out to be one of the things we miss most. 

Typically, tourism is one of the major components of economic growth for communities worldwide, but the pandemic has hit the tourism industry hard. The industry has been forced to find new ways to come back from this setback stronger. Right now, more than ever, it is important for the tourism sector to think differently and embrace innovation in preparation for the inevitable influx of visitors. 

Innovations and initiatives are on the rise in the area of ‘smart tourism’. But what is smart tourism exactly? According to the European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative, a smart tourism destination is:

“A destination facilitating access to tourism and hospitality products, services, spaces, and experiences through ICT-based tools. It is a healthy social and cultural environment, which can be found through a focus on the city’s social and human capital. It also implements innovative, intelligent solutions and fosters the development of entrepreneurial businesses and their interconnectedness.”

Founded in 2019, the European Capital of Smart Tourism is an initiative that aims to raise awareness about smart tourism tools, measures, and projects implemented in cities across four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalization, and cultural heritage and creativity. In 2019 and 2020 two European cities were named European Capital of Smart Tourism and four cities have been awarded a prize in one of the four above-mentioned categories. 

Smart tourism plays a vital role in the development of smart cities, as initiatives to attract tourists can cause a significant increase in people and cars in even the smallest of towns. This, in turn, greatly affects the traffic in the location in question, with more and more people searching for parking spaces. The average tourist aims to park their vehicle in the city center or as close to major tourist attractions, such as beaches or ski resorts, as possible. The resulting search traffic not only increases congestion and traffic hazards but also influences the quality of life of residents and visitors alike. Smart parking solutions can remedy the situation and considerably enhance the experience that smart tourism provides. 

There are 9 cities in Europe that have already been praised by the European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative for their smart approach to tourism. When the time comes, and we are able to travel again, perhaps visiting one of these 9 European smart tourism destinations should be high on your list:

1. Gothenburg, named European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 and winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2020 in the category of Sustainability.

Gothenburg, according to the European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative, has implemented far-reaching measures, to ensure future generations can continue to enjoy the city. The recently released Smart Map encourages citizen engagement by gathering all the places you can rent, exchange, borrow, share, give and get in Gothenburg. Min Stad is a 3D city model that can be used by developers, architects and planners to host public consultations, anticipate the impact of future development and make better-informed decisions. Gothenburg bases 60% of its district heating on waste/recycled heat. In Gothenburg, 90% of all buildings are heated using district heating, while the corresponding figure for the EU is 12%. The city was a pioneer in issuing green bonds and was one of the first places to set consumption-based emission targets. 92% of the city’s hotels and 100% of meeting facilities are now environmentally certified and events that take place in the city benefit from the “Event Impact Calculator”, a tool that has come as a result of local tech and science partnerships that forecasts potential environmental impacts and supports organizers to value events from an economic, social and environmental point of view. It is because of these initiatives that, for the past three years, Gothenburg has been named the world’s most sustainable destination, by the Global Destination Sustainability Index.

For more details, visit www.goteborgco.se/en/ and www.goteborg.com. 

2. Málaga, named European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 and winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2019 in the category of Accessibility. 

Málaga has been awarded by the European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative, because - in their own words - “Málaga has been incorporating the concepts of sustainability, innovation, and culture into their strategic plans for many years. There is a constant exchange between visitors and the government’s tourism services so that Málaga can do more to meet the needs of visitors. In terms of sustainability, Málaga works in all spheres – it has installed public LED lighting, offers over 20 bike hire stations, and created bike lanes that now add up to over 40km. The city has installed smart watering systems for parks and gardens in order to save water and has introduced an Air Quality Sectoral Plan to reduce air pollution, monitor pollen levels, and improve noise quality. Málaga has also upgraded street cleaning equipment and has worked on better waste separation in the city center.” The city has a fully-adapted bus network, vast pedestrian spaces including the refurbished Alameda Principal, plus 50% of Málaga taxis have been upgraded. Digitalization forms an essential part of the tourism experience in Málaga too and the city has a high-profile digital sector. This includes the Polo Digital at the Tabacalera and the Andalusian Technological Park (PTA). Over the last 15 years, the city has transformed into the “City of Museums” with well over 30 museums to visit. 

For more details, visit: www.malagaturismo.com/es/site/smarttourism

3. Breda, winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2020 in the category of Accessibility. 

Examples of initiatives from Breda include the use of technology and ICT to improve the visiting experience in Breda and to measure those results. For example, animations are used to illuminate iconic buildings in the city, such as the Spanjaardsgat and the castle of Breda. In addition, sustainable LED lighting puts locations such as the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk and Willemstraat, the smartest street in Breda, in the spotlight. Various further developments are also planned for 2020. For example, Breda will focus on smart experience, maximum accessibility, and hospitality during the Vuelta a Holanda. There will be a special stand for people with a disability and route maps in Braille for the blind. The Vuelta will be the living lab for testing new digital technologies of flow, crowd management, and digital experiences.

4. Ljubljana, winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2020 in the category of Digitalisation ánd winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2019 in the category of Sustainability. 

According to the European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative, Ljubljana’s proactive approach to sustainability has meant it has been able to exceed its own tourism quota for the period of 2014 – 2020. Over 90% of local residents agree that developing tourism leads to development for the city. As one of Europe’s green capitals, 20% of the city consists of protected natural areas, and new initiatives are helping to turn degraded areas into even more public space. There has also been a push to get more local produce into hotels and restaurants, supporting the environment while promoting Slovenian food, wine, and beer. The jury was particularly impressed by Ljubljana's various smart solutions including the official tourism website with its rich content and a series of apps - especially the Tap water app for locating water fountains all around the city.

5. Karlsruhe, winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2020 in the category of Cultural Heritage & Creativity.

Home to Germany’s oldest technical university and Europe’s largest IT cluster, Karlsruhe has long been a digital hub and innovation hotspot. Karlsruhe is working on the consolidation and digitalization of all offers in a unique “digital@KA” app to simplify visitors’ experiences with cultural programs, local transport, and citizen services. From the Karlsruhe NaturRADtour, which invites visitors to explore Germany’s most bicycle-friendly city, to the “Kombilösung” project to improve accessibility, the City of Karlsruhe has implemented several projects and innovative mobility technologies to cultivate an accessible and sustainably managed city for locals and travelers alike. 

6. Helsinki, named European Capital of Smart Tourism in 2019.

The city’s smart public transport system enjoyed a rise in user satisfaction over the last two years and Helsinki isn’t standing still. An ‘Uber boat’ system is under consideration and driverless buses are being trialed on open streets. Helsinki ranked second at the Accessible City Awards in 2015. And, if you do need any extra help, multilingual ‘Helsinki Helpers’ are stationed at main attractions to offer assistance.

Visitors will see first-hand some of the 143 measures in place to help Helsinki become carbon neutral by 2035. The Helsinki Road Map prevents overcrowding and supports local business as it guides tourists around the city, while 75% of hotel rooms are certified environmentally friendly. Helsinki is also increasing the share of cycling, walking, and electric cars and trains.

Powered by its open approach to public data – available free for all since 2009 – Helsinki has become a hotbed of software innovation. One of the major successes is the MyHelsinki.fi website, an ad-free service platform featuring recommendations from the people who know the city best – the locals. Read more about it here: Helsinki’s Preliminary Programme of Activities as 2019 European Capital of Smart Tourism.

For more details, visit myhelsinki.fi.

7. Lyon, named European Capital of Smart Tourism in 2019. 

Lyon has won several accolades for accessibility — including the 2018 Access City Award — having put its plan at the center of urban life. Visitors with disabilities and reduced mobility can move around the city with complete autonomy, taking advantage of a completely adapted transport network and smart signage. Lyon’s museums offer adapted tours — those with hearing impairments are allowed to touch works of art — and many restaurants provide speaking menus.

This year, 40,000 visitors to the city experienced the benefits of the Lyon City Card, which provides users with free public transport, entrance to 23 museums and other attractions, discounts, and more. In the future, visitors will be able to take advantage of the ONLYLYON Experience, receiving live geo-located tourist information direct to their smartphones to reduce congestion.

Read here: Lyon’s Preliminary Programme of Activities as 2019 European Capital of Smart Tourism

For more details, visit ONLYLYON.com.

8. Copenhagen, winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2019 in the category of Digitalisation. 

The European Capital of Smart Tourism Initiative chose Copenhagen because of the following reasons: On arrival in the city, the innovative Copenhagen Visitor Service is the first point of call, where tourists can grasp everything the city has to offer, through moving posters, robotics, or even by putting on a pair of VR goggles and experiencing the city’s best attractions through the eyes of a couple, locals, a family or seniors. Once tourists leave the visitor service they can make use of the city’s app, which guides users between attractions. Within the app, a tracking module that asks users for consent before activation gathers data so that the authorities can better understand movement patterns both around the city and at attractions on the outskirts. The data that is collected is helping to continually improve services.

9. Linz, winner of the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2019 in the category of Cultural Heritage & Creativity. 

Among other reasons, Linz was selected by the Initiative, because it boasts 43 galleries and exhibition rooms and 13 cultural centers, the most prestigious of which are located on the Kulturmeile (culture mile), a popular route for tourists that traces the bending Donau river. Whilst these spaces boast world-class collections, art in Linz isn’t just confined to galleries. Innovative formats such as Höhenrausch (loosely translated as “high jinks”), an art exhibition on the rooftops, are typical of the city’s creative approach. In addition to the art on display, Höhenrausch visitors will also be able to glimpse signs of Linz’s impressive industrial heritage, in the form of the factory chimneys that pierce the city’s skyline. Linzers are conscious of incorporating this aspect of history into the city’s cultural repertoire: the Voestalpine Stahlwelt museum pays homage to the steel industry that has been the backbone of Linz’s economy for almost a century; the Tabakfabrik is now a hub for the creative industry and the Mural Harbour is an industrial port turned blank canvas for graffiti artists from around the world.

These are the 9 European smart destinations to watch and learn from as smart tourism will become increasingly important over the next few years. Will your city be next?

Curious to see a real-life example of a smart tourism destination solving parking search and visitor congestion?

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.

Munich, Germany - Welcome to our brand new Resource Library! As this section didn’t exist before on the old Cleverciti website, so we’ll take a moment to introduce it properly. 

The Resource Library is designed entirely for you, whether you’re a one-time visitor that’s simply interested in one of our topics, whether you are an existing customer looking for some tips on the use of our products, or whether you are a city representative exploring the possibilities of having smart parking solutions in your city. 

In the Resource Library you will find the latest news on our products or new installations, you will find informative blog articles on the topics of smart city, smart parking and smart tourism, we discuss the latest trends in the industry as well as specific use cases we’ve had with our customers and you’ll find some stories from our very own (leadership) team members.

Additionally we keep an up-to-date list of our upcoming events as well as a list of applications we integrate well with, such as Cisco, Innogy, Google Maps & Waze. 

Of course, our FAQs cannot be missed in our Resource Library. And last but not least, in our Resource Library you can view Cleverciti’s presence in the media. Follow the links to the original sources and read the articles or watch the videos in which Cleverciti was featured. 

Overall, the goal of the Resource Library is to give you a well-rounded view of Cleverciti, its products, how they can be utilized best, to whom they could be relevant, what the benefits of smart parking solutions are, what has been achieved with our deployments already and how we see the future of parking. 

That leaves us with nothing left to say but this: Go explore and have fun! 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any questions, concerns or feedback you might have. 

In Kerken, the Cleverciti PowerRing, with night-time charging, provides an independent solution that supplies 24/7 power to the most modern smart city sensors from Cleverciti. Thanks to this technology, the smart parking system was implemented in a short amount of time and with minimal infrastructure costs.

The customer

The Nieukerk P+R in Kerken is a typical P+R parking lot that belongs to the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr. The community of Kerken is located on the train line from Kleve to the state’s capital, Düsseldorf. Kerken has about 12,000 inhabitants and numerous commuters who use the NordWestBahn to Düsseldorf, Krefeld, and the surrounding towns. As in many other cities, the local lampposts are only supplied with electricity during the night

The case 

The municipality of Kerken wanted to provide commuters and train passengers taking a car to the train station with accurate information about the availability of parking spaces before they arrived. If all parking spaces are taken, commuters can head directly to an alternative P+R parking space, thus avoiding a waste of time, stress, traffic, and unnecessary emissions. 

Decision-makers wanted: 

• Quick installation with minimal cost 

• Supply current lampposts with continual power 

• The following should be avoided: 

  • Construction work

  • Interference with the lighting system

  • Obtaining permits

The Cleverciti solution

Six of the eight lampposts did not have 24/7 electricity, which would normally prevent the installation of IoT sensors. With Cleverciti's battery solution, called the PowerRing, specially designed for nighttime charging and sensor integration, the sensors could run without changing the lamppost power supply.

Read more about the Cleverciti PowerRing here. 

The result

Thanks to this technology, the smart parking system could be implemented in a short amount of time and with minimal infrastructure costs. Without Cleverciti‘s battery-powered solution, the plans for a smart parking service would have come to a standstill in Kerken and would likely still not have been put into action.

“After not having been able to find a short-term solution for the electricity issue at the P+R facility, we were glad that Cleverciti offered a suitable battery-powered solution with night-time charging that allows for a permanent power supply of the sensors. This enabled us to implement the project on short notice and at lower costs compared to alternative solutions. The batteries have been running perfectly since the start.“ - says Detlev Grimm, Project Manager in the Department of Construction/Planning/Technology of Kerken municipality. 

Lower emissions and improve quality of life while growing revenue

19 November 2020

When:

10 - 11 AM (PCT) / 7 - 8 PM (CT)

Time: 

Representatives of utility companies and cities or anyone else who is interested in the topic

Expected audience: 

English

Spoken language:

Sign up here

How to join the event:

Streetlights have extraordinary strategic importance in the development of smart cities as they ‘overlook’ essential properties of a city: on-street or surface parking spaces, delivery and drop-off zones, e-charging stations, as well as no parking zones such as fire hydrants.

Meanwhile, parking search traffic causes up to 30% of all inner-city traffic. Smart parking solutions provide the data and guidance required to help cities reduce traffic and emissions and increase parking and shopping revenue while allowing drivers to enjoy a smooth, stress-free arrival experience.

Each streetlight has a staggering ability to manage $80K-$400K in annual revenue potential for a city. How? Cleverciti’s streetlight-mounted AI sensor can typically monitor 10-50 parking spaces, whereas each parking space has an annual revenue potential of about $8,000.

For utilities, generating valuable data via existing streetlight assets opens new opportunities to generate revenue while making cities more livable by reducing traffic and emissions. Higher parking turnover and increased compliance helps local retailers to attract shoppers and grow their businesses.

In addition, with the growth of delivery vehicles, managing the curb has become a crucial challenge: avoiding double parking and monitoring dwell times of delivery vehicles in dedicated loading zones improves traffic flow and safety.

This webinar will dive deep into crucial topics for the evolution of smart cities:

• How utilities can enter the data business by leveraging their streetlight assets

• How to effectively manage the curb to make the best use of this valuable real estate while improving safety and congestion

• How to make cities more livable by reducing traffic and emissions with smart parking

Join Cleverciti, the leading smart parking solution, and Itron, the world leader in smart city solutions, delivering critical infrastructure to help utilities and cities manage energy and water” to gain insights and examples of how cities and utilities can manage their on-street assets in a highly efficient way and turn data, generated directly at each streetlight into a valuable smart city revenue driver.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Munich, Germany - Welcome to the new Cleverciti website! The past few months, we at Cleverciti, have been working very hard to revamp our website to structure the information better for you, give it a fresh look that fits our brand better, and make it future-proof! Many developments are happening in the fields of smart cities and smart parking which means Cleverciti needs to be ahead of the curve. By looking through our website, you’ll learn what we believe in, what ambitions we have for the future, and what solutions we offer. We are green, we are clean and we are ready to transform your city into a Cleverciti!

From now on, you will only see the new website. The URL remains the same (www.cleverciti.com), but the structure of the website is slightly different. What’s new or changed are the following sections:

• Verticals

• Solutions 

• Innovations 

• Resources

With ‘Verticals’ we mean the specific entities that we can support with our smart parking solutions, for example, cities, tourism destinations, shopping malls, airports, stadiums etc. 

With ‘Solutions’ we mean the smart parking solutions that we offer, for example, our parking guidance system or curb management solution. 

Under ‘Innovations’ you can find the technologies that we’ve developed ourselves over the years to elevate these solutions, such as the CIRC360™ or the Cleverciti Card.  

Under ‘Resources’ you will find the newly developed Resource Library, containing our latest news as well as informative articles on the topics of smart city, smart parking or discussing the latest industry trends. You can also find our upcoming events, a list of products we integrate well with and our media coverage.  

We look forward to welcoming you back to our website. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any questions, concerns or feedback you might have.

Stay tuned - additional features and updates will be released in the weeks to come.

In smart cities, the use of technology, information, and data is promoted to enhance and improve the overall infrastructure, quality of life, and publicly accessible services. Negative side effects of living in densely populated urban areas (e.g. environmental pollution and stress-related illnesses) are to be minimized. Typical features of smart cities include 4 main points:

Smart administration and society

Government services in smart cities are made more accessible to people by making them available online. Processes such as registering a business or filing a complaint are simplified by digital offerings while also adhering to data security and protection regulations.

Online service can help improve accountability and transparency while also allowing citizens to take an active part in local governing processes.

Smart housing

Housing in smart cities should be affordable while also ensuring safety and security for its residents. Open and green spaces, public services, community areas, jobs as well as social facilities raise the housing standard in a smart city and enhance the quality of life in any given neighborhood. Poorly planned areas are redeveloped to improve the housing situation there.

Smart mobility

A central aspect of a smart city is its public transit network. Access to public transportation has increased in tomorrow’s cities. To further reduce emissions, smart cities are aimed towards being more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly.

Creative solutions such as smart parking can further help to reduce emissions and environmental pollution, while also decreasing complexity for drivers in a complicated urban environment. Smart parking data reduces traffic hazards and accidents as drivers are not distracted while desperately looking for a parking space.

It also enables drivers to choose the best options to arrive at their desired destination quickly and efficiently.

Smart parking solutions can thus decrease parking search traffic, as drivers know which streets are fully occupied, and they can avoid circling around. In addition, drivers can make intelligent decisions based on precise parking data and choose to park in the nearest garage for example, or take a scooter if on-street parking in the inner city is not available.

Furthermore, smart cities aim to create walkable neighborhoods, where congestion, air pollution, and resource depletion are reduced to promote interactions and boost the local economy. Road networks are improved to not only provide space for vehicles and public transport but also to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.

Modern surface parking hubs slightly outside the inner city ring should also provide real-time occupancy data for parking, making it appealing for drivers to park their vehicles there and take alternative means of transport – such as e-vehicles or a bus – for the last miles to reduce emissions in the city center.

Smart infrastructure

The infrastructure in smart cities should be geared towards being sustainable and eco-friendly. In addition, many smart cities aim for climate neutrality. Structures for supplying electricity, gas, and hot water, as well as those for the disposal of refuse, need to be transformed to move towards more sustainable infrastructure.

This can be done by reducing the amount of waste generated and more effective recycling of refuse among other things. In addition, the use of natural resources can be reduced by establishing renewable energies.

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

Smart parking is an efficient and cost-effective system to monitor the availability of parking spaces in real-time. Technologies such as sensors and cameras detect free parking spaces and direct drivers to the most convenient spot via digital signage such as LED-displays. By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, edge computing, and interconnectivity, the complexity of driving in a complicated environment is simplified.

Benefits of smart parking solutions

Smart parking solutions not only significantly minimize search traffic, but also help ease congestion in cities and reduce vehicle emissions. Finding a free parking space easily in an often-confusing commercial car park enhances customer experience, thus improving revenue. Simultaneously, parking operators and civic authorities can gather intelligent data on parking and customer habits that can be used to drive future infrastructure developments.

Generating data easily

Data is generated via in-ground sensors that have to be installed in each parking space or via Overhead sensors as developed by Cleverciti. The latter can be easily mounted on existing infrastructure such as lampposts or buildings and provide a comprehensive real-time overview of the occupancy status of up to 100 parking spaces per sensor.

Overhead sensors scan the vicinity and identify the position of a parked car or an empty parking space while also measuring the length of an available parking space and registering whether vehicles have been in an illegal space (e.g. in front of a fire hydrant or other no-parking zone).

The data gathered by these sensors is transmitted via cellular (LTE), Wi-Fi or wired Internet connection. The best smart parking solutions process data “at the edge”, which means the only data leaving the sensor itself is the GPS coordinates of a parking space and its availability. This approach ensures compliance with all the relevant data privacy regulations.

Real-time parking information

Relevant insights can then be passed on to drivers via a mobile application, website or digital signage. LED displays such as Cleverciti’s Circ360™ and Circ180™, both of which are multi-directional LED signs that can be installed on existing lampposts, show live parking information and messaging. 

Parking meters can be integrated into the system, showing parking operators whether time-limits are being observed.

See how smart parking works in a city environment in the video below:

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 October 1st Cleverciti hosted its very first online event about the smart parking pilot that is happening in Cologne-Nippes as we speak. The pilot is a collaboration between the city district itself, RheinEnergie AG and Cleverciti. The event that took place from 3-4PM was moderated by Dr. Günther Picker, Senior Vice President Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at Cleverciti. The panel of speakers consisted of:

• Thomas Hohenacker, Founder & CEO of Cleverciti

• Bernd Schößler, district mayor of Cologne-Nippes

• Christian Remacly, Project manager of Rheinenergie AG

Dr. Günther Picker

Thomas Hohenacker

Bernd Schößler

Christian Remacly

After briefly introducing the speakers, Dr. Picker asked Mr. Hohenacker to open with explaining a little more about the project in Cologne-Nippes and what the mission of the project was (f.e. to reduce traffic and improve the arrival experience of people visiting the commercial center of Cologne-Nippes). 

Mr. Hohenacker shares a short presentation in which he explains the technology that was used in the pilot: a combination of Cleverciti’s own 80 overhead sensors with 27 Circ360™ LED displays, that can be mounted onto existing lampposts. Each sensor can monitor 10-70 parking spots at a time. Therefore the district knows at all time how many parking spots are taken and how many are free and their exact location. The sensors are also able to identify parking spots without marking (also called ‘floating parking spots’). The technology of the sensors is a combination of artificial intelligence with edge computing. 

After sharing a bit of background information about the Cleverciti Cockpit and the data that can be found  there, Mr. Hohenacker shows the actual Cockpit of Cologne-Nippes live. If you click on a specific parking spot, you can find specific information about that spot, f.e. the length of stay of the car that is currently parked there. The Cockpit also contains overall statistics, analyses and historical data.

Dr. Picker continues the conversation by asking a few questions about the project himself as well as asking questions from the audience to the panel members. The audience shows a high level of engagement and asks many detailed questions which are each answered by one of the panel members. Examples of questions were:

• What was the traffic situation like in Cologne-Nippes?

• How did the execution of the project go?

• Why did RheinEnergie choose Cleverciti?

• Have you seen a difference in Cologne-Nippes? 

• What were the first reactions of the residents?

• Is it also possible to get power from other systems, such as solar systems or batteries?

To hear the full answers of the panel members to these questions, watch the full recording that is added below. The questions and answers start at 14:45.

When the clock almost hits 4PM, Dr. Picker ends the conversation by thanking the attendees and the speakers for their attendance. He commends them on their detailed questions and states that if further questions pop up, they are welcome to contact Cleverciti at info@cleverciti.com or via Cleverciti’s homepage. Attendees of the event included, but not limited to: the cities of Hamburg, Wuppertal & Trier. 

Cleverciti would like to thank the speakers and all attendees for joining. And stay tuned for the next one! 

Missed it? Watch the full recording here (in German):

The PowerPoint slides that were shared by Mr. Hohenacker can be viewed below (in German):

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