In cities around the world, the time spent looking for parking spaces is considerable and in larger cities even more significant. For example, the average driver in London spends around 67 hours per year searching for a parking space. But it’s not just time that is burned in the hunt for a parking space; it’s also fuel. This releases more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere whilst incurring drivers an unnecessary loss of fuel. An average driver in New York consumes about 143.5 litres of fuel and emits roughly 317 kg of CO2 per year.
Urban areas worldwide are implementing more and more smart parking systems. These systems help to reduce urban issues like congestion, pollution, and inefficiency caused by high amounts of traffic searching for parking spaces in built-up areas. The market for autonomous parking is set to grow to $12.9 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.2%, highlighting just how much of an impact smart parking systems are set to have in the next few years.
What Is Smart Parking?
The term “smart parking” describes a sophisticated system that effectively manages and maximises the use of parking spots in metropolitan areas by utilising a variety of technologies, including cameras, sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), and mobile apps. In addition to saving drivers time while looking for parking and leading them to available spaces, this system offers real-time data on parking availability, helping to enhance traffic flow.
Smart parking solutions are designed to improve the efficiency and convenience of parking for both users and city managers. These features often include automated payment systems, dynamic pricing, and reservation possibilities. The goal of smart parking is to make urban surroundings more efficient, sustainable, and user-friendly by utilising data and technology. For a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about smart parking, read our guide. Below, you can see five ways in which smart parking improves urban transportation:
Reducing Traffic Congestion
Searching for traffic accounts for around 30% of city traffic, causing greater congestion and environmental pollution. Smart parking solutions alleviate this problem by providing real-time data on available spots and guiding drivers directly to free parking spaces. This data is gathered by using sensors in each space, so at any one time the data on available spaces is displayed on a screen. This helps to reduce unnecessary driving and circling around car parks, lowering carbon emissions and congestion, not to mention wasting people’s time too.
Implementing smart parking systems has shown to reduce time taken to find parking spots by 43% and miles driven by 30%, improving traffic flow and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental Benefits
By offering real-time data and guidance to the closest accessible spot, smart parking solutions drastically cut down on the amount of time drivers spend looking for a place to park. This effectiveness lowers fuel consumption in addition to saving time. By reducing the amount of time drivers have to spend to find a spot, smart parking solutions also help to minimise idle vehicle time, which is a significant contributor to fuel wastage.
As a result of shorter search times and less idling, smart parking systems significantly lower car emissions. Major cities may reduce their annual CO2 emissions by millions of kilograms if these methods are implemented. A recent study showed that smart parking solutions can prevent around 900,000 tons of harmful gases in Germany alone. For a more long-term view, these systems optimise the usage of existing car parking infrastructures, preventing the need for further facilities to be built and preserving green spaces.
Economic Savings
As stated in the earlier points, smart parking solutions significantly cut down the time for drivers travelling aimlessly and idling whilst finding a parking spot. This helps to reduce costs as it helps to preserve fuel and avoids unnecessary fuel wastage. However, the financial benefits don’t only serve the customers but also for cities and businesses. Here are some of the ways smart parking can financially benefit cities and businesses:
- Increased Revenue Collection: Implementing smart parking meters and mobile payment systems allows for more precise monitoring and efficient collection from parking spaces. By making greater use of every parking space, this renovation increases income and decreases losses from unpaid fines.
- Cost Reductions in Parking Management: Keeping track of every parking-related activity, enables significant cost savings. This is because the data gathered facilitates the identification of best practices and the optimisation of control measures.
- Operational Expenditure Financing: Cities may profit from smart parking solutions without having to bear the initial financial burden because the solutions can be implemented with minimal upfront expenses. This strategy guarantees that cities may turn a profit as soon as it is put into practice.
Enhanced User Experience
Smart parking systems help to eradicate the frustration and stress associated with trying to find a parking space. They guide drivers directly to available spots, eliminating the uncertainty around finding a space. This streamlined process is achieved by using innovative technologies like millimetre-wave radio, which detects vehicles and guides them to available spots in real-time. By combining these systems with smartphone applications, drivers can browse and choose parking spots, cutting down on the amount of time they need to spend looking for one. In addition to saving time and reducing anxiety associated with parking in crowded places, drivers may receive updates on the closest available spaces and make payments via an app.
Smart parking systems are designed to seamlessly integrate with other smart city technologies, enhancing the overall functionality and user experience. Connecting to EV charging stations, car park terminals, and public transport applications, these technologies may create a seamless network of services. The smart parking API and universal electronic module enable the addition of smart features to any parking-related device or app, offering significant benefits to both drivers and business owners who receive daily customer visits. By ensuring that customers have access to complete, up-to-date information regarding parking possibilities, this integration increases convenience and cuts down on travel time.
Improved Safety and Security
The introduction of smart parking systems reduces the chance of parking-related accidents. With access to real-time data, drivers have no need to drive around to continuously search for a spot, allowing them to focus more on driving and not be distracted. Utilising sensors and precision-guided technology, automatic car parking systems securely manoeuvre and park vehicles, reducing the chance of accidents with other cars or pedestrians.
Security is also enhanced with these technologies. Most smart parking systems also have surveillance equipment, access control systems and alarms, providing an extra layer of security to leaving your car. In addition to this, these cameras monitor the entry and exit points of parking facilities, capturing the licence plates of all vehicles. This real-time monitoring helps to quickly identify unauthorised vehicles and aids in tracking vehicles in case of theft or other security concerns.
Conclusion
Through the exploration of smart parking systems, we’ve understood their profound impact on urban efficiency, from reducing traffic congestion and environmental harm to providing economic savings and an enhanced user experience. Smart parking has become a vital tool for enhancing parking management and assisting cities in becoming smarter, more sustainable environments by leveraging technology and data analytics. The advantages seen through optimised parking space usage, reduced time and fuel costs for drivers, and the financial benefits for cities and businesses underscore the indispensable role smart parking plays in the urban landscape.
In the future, we may see smart parking systems integrated with autonomous vehicles and more smart city technologies, whilst there will almost certainly be greater connectivity through advanced IoT and enhanced data analytics and AI. There will be more ease for payments through contactless and mobile payments, and there may be more sustainable initiatives with smart parking. As cities continue to grow and evolve, the implementation of smart parking solutions presents an effective solution to the challenges of urbanisation, suggesting a pathway towards achieving greater urban efficiency and sustainability.
