Cities around the world are rolling out technology to improve parking for commuters, visitors and residents.
New research by IoT Analytics reveals that 11% of parking spaces in the public domain (on-street and off-street) are now smart, with the penetration rate predicted to reach 16% by 2023.
Smart parking technology ranges from vehicle detection sensors and cameras with automated licence plate recognition technology, to smart parking meters, smart payment for parking, and parking assistance by digital signage and navigation apps.
One of the latest deployments in the UK is in Harrogate town centre.
Thanks to smart sensors installed in parking bays across the town, users of AppyParking will be able to see the availability of parking spaces in real-time, drive straight to a space and start paying for a parking session with a single click. People will pay only for the time they park in the bay while on the street.
The 18-month trial is a joint project by North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for on-street parking, and Harrogate Borough Council, which is responsible for off-street car parks.
As the county council explains, the technology means that drivers will no longer need to carry change for a pay and display machine or predict the time they’ll get back to their car. After the minimum stay period, users are charged per minute based on the hourly price up to the maximum stay. They are also sent a notification to let them know if they are coming to the end of their maximum stay.
According to IoT Analytics, the real value of smart parking solutions lies in the parking data generated, which can help city planners optimise the flow of traffic and reduce congestion.
Market spending for smart parking products and services is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14%, exceeding $3.8bn (£3.0bn) by 2023.
“Parking is an area where IoT sensor technology is making a tremendous difference – both for the user experience as well as for parking space management and enforcement,” commented IoT Analytics’ managing director, Knud Lasse Lueth. “Whether you look at New York, San Francisco, Berlin or London, most major cities especially in Europe and in the US have started to deploy various new smart parking solutions in the last five years. Most of these installations now use a combination of vehicle detection sensors, pay-by-app options and in some cases navigation assistance.”
Tags: IoT, smart parking, smart public parking
