Cities grow because more people choose to live in them, so it is natural that there are more and more cars on the streets that need parking spaces. In recent years, it has been shown that the traditional management of these spaces is not enough to cover their complexity today, giving rise to the development of advanced solutions such as intelligent parking systems.
Thanks to the use of IoT-connected devices, drivers can find free parking spaces. The efficiency offered by these guidance and control systems has had a great impact on productivity, job creation, sustainability and, in general, on improving the quality of life of people living in these cities.
Immediate impact of making better use of the parking spaces.
Cities have limited space for parking cars, and poor management of this space can lead to certain complications in terms of mobility: congestion on the streets increases due to the turns that drivers have to make looking for a place to leave their car, feeling stress and frustration for the time wasted, and life in the city becomes less pleasant due to the pollution, chaos and noise that traffic generates.
On the other hand, it is important to remember that the time lost by drivers also has a negative impact on the economy of the area, it is wasted when it could be invested in a more productive way. For example, hauliers would be able to cover more delivery zones and visitors could enjoy the leisure offer provided by the city.
Instead of a parking space remaining empty for hours or being occupied by a vehicle that should not be there, say a space reserved for loading and unloading or people with reduced mobility, smart parking systems help make access to such spaces easier and improve car turnover. Local authorities can rely on monitoring solutions that identify usage patterns and real needs of the population in order to make changes in urban planning.
Reduction of operating expenses and management of regulated vacancies
Traditional parking space control systems require personnel to monitor that everything is in order and complies with regulations, charge for the service if there is a fee, and keep the spaces clean and in good condition. Intelligent solutions automate many of these tasks, optimizing the work these people do. There is no need for them to go around the parking lot checking vehicle by vehicle if any of them has exceeded the time allowed; the sensors detect if a parking space is still occupied and the system sends alerts with the incident.
Parking Monitoring
On the other hand, from the data collected on their use, patterns can be extracted, such as hours or days when there is higher occupancy, so that local authorities can apply dynamic tariffs according to demand. These help to distribute vehicles to less congested areas, usually surrounding the urban center.
A healthy and sustainable initiative for cities
One of the great benefits of implementing smart parking solutions is that, as a result of fewer vehicles driving unnecessarily on the streets, less polluting gases are emitted. Cities become cleaner air, which is a benefit for the health of the people who live there and for the environment.
Constant exposure to air pollution common in many cities can cause respiratory and other long-term complications, leading to more doctor visits and public health costs. It is obviously important to have a good healthcare system that serves those who need it – fewer sick people means fewer waits, hospitalizations and medicines. By protecting green and residential areas from traffic, the city already becomes a little healthier.
On the other hand, we also know that many cities are promoting the use of electric vehicles to reduce pollution. Since reserved spaces with charging infrastructure are still limited, an intelligent guidance system makes it easier to find them and can help encourage drivers to opt for these alternatives. Similarly, local authorities will know the areas where demand is highest in order to relocate spaces and invest in expanding charging infrastructure.
Job creation and urban development
Less environmental and noise pollution, making cities cleaner, quieter and more pleasant to live in, encouraging more visitors, businesses and investors. There is a positive knock-on effect on the local economy: people spend more time in shopping and leisure areas, neighborhoods are revitalized, and opportunities are created in sectors such as tourism and hospitality. The presence of investors encourages the development of new businesses, increasing the supply of jobs and income in the city.
Thanks to the real-time data provided by smart parking solutions, authorities can make good decisions regarding space organization. They will know whether or not to build more parking in the areas with the highest demand, where the available spaces are virtually unused, and how best to arrange those reserved for specific uses.
This avoids the construction of large, unnecessary parking lots, which represent a large investment and take up space that could be used for other purposes, such as green areas, bicycle lanes or other initiatives that can bring short-term and long-term benefits to the population. The data helps the city to develop in a more orderly fashion.
