Larger cities often have problems with traffic, much of it generated by drivers who, having arrived at their destination, spend a lot of time looking for a place to park. Smart parking solutions have proven to be very useful solutions in these cases, using sensors, mobile apps and other devices to make the process of finding a parking space much easier.
1. Understand the real needs of the city
Before choosing a smart parking system, it is crucial to have a good understanding of the real needs of the city in question in order to find the most suitable technology. It is necessary to take into account how many people live in the city, the number of cars on the streets, how public transport is organized and what parking regulations are in place.
Traffic analysis
The most important thing is to understand how the city moves, and to do this, you must have data on traffic patterns, how much time drivers spend circling to find space, and how many of these are occupied at different times of the day. By being precise with the hours, days, zones and type of space, it is possible to know how many are needed and where to meet the real needs of the population.
Critical points
Thanks to the data collected in the previous point, it is possible to identify the areas with the highest congestion or where parking demand is higher than available. These could range from heavily visited metropolitan areas, such as shopping malls and tourist areas, to streets that do not have adequate infrastructure. These are the “hotspots” where the first smart parking solutions should be targeted.
Local regulations
Each city has its own regulations and these may affect parking spaces in one way or another. There may be restrictions on the location of new spaces for the preservation of parks or historic areas, for example, as well as rules on whether or not these are to be paid or unpaid at certain times to encourage turnover. With this information, smart parking solutions can be implemented accordingly.
2. Choosing the most appropriate technology
There are a multitude of technologies linked to intelligent parking systems. Each is designed to meet specific needs, as well as being able to combine with each other to address both simple and more complex needs.
IoT Sensors (Internet of Things)
These sensors are small, self-contained detection devices that are placed at ground level in each parking space to detect whether it is occupied or vacant. The sensors transmit this information in real time to a central system, which provides it to drivers. They require very little maintenance and are updated without manual intervention.
Detection cameras
Detection cameras can also know whether parking spaces are occupied or not, although they have the advantage of covering a larger area, so they are very suitable for large parking lots. There are also models capable of counting vehicle entries and exits in delimited parking areas.
U-Spot VISIO: A.I. Single-spot detection
Mobile applications
Thanks to these applications, drivers can find out in real time the metropolitan areas where there are more parking spaces available. They do not have to waste time driving around the streets looking for an empty space, but can see it immediately in just a few clicks from their cell phone.
Signage panels
With smart signage panels placed at strategic points, drivers can see as they drive around how many parking spaces are available in the compound or on the street they are on. In this way, drivers can make quick decisions about where to go, rather than driving aimlessly.
3. Integrate with other mobility solutions
A smart parking system does not have to work in isolation, in fact, it is recommended to integrate it with other existing urban mobility solutions to offer a better service according to the needs of citizens. For example, with initiatives such as the Park&Ride areas, it is possible to reduce traffic in the city center while encouraging the use of public transport and facilitating travel to different parts of the city.
4. Promoting sustainability
Beyond the many benefits that smart parking systems offer, both for air quality and for the health of drivers and residents, it is also a very useful tool to incentivize changes in urban sustainability. For example, as more and more electric vehicles become available on the streets, it is possible to know where best to locate charging spaces and guide drivers to spaces reserved for this purpose now that they are still rare.
5. Improve accessibility
A good intelligent parking system has to be easy to use, regardless of the user level of each person, so both the mobile applications and the signage displays are easy to understand. They convey clear information to avoid distractions and find space as quickly and smoothly as possible.
In the same way, these intelligent solutions can provide data to, as we mentioned before, know in which areas it is more convenient to locate spaces reserved for specific uses. We are not only talking about electric vehicles, but also about spaces for people with reduced mobility, for loading and unloading, or for tourist buses, among many others.
6. Evaluating performance
The work with an intelligent parking system does not end with its implementation; it is important to periodically analyze the data to adjust the solution to the needs of the population, which are always changing. These systems allow to continuously improve the service so that it remains effective.
The data will continue to provide information on the usage patterns of the city’s infrastructure for smoother management and to assess whether or not improvements are needed – sometimes it is simply a matter of rearranging the slots to meet demand. Similarly, even if they require little maintenance, technologies need to be updated on a timely basis for optimal performance.
At Urbiotica, we help you implement smart parking solutions, according to what each area of the city needs, with the objective of improving urban mobility and the quality of life of drivers and residents. To make it a success, it is important to have specialists and a good urban planning from the beginning, we will help you transform the city.
