Smart parking systems
Smart parking systems are innovative solutions designed to enhance urban mobility by utilizing advanced technologies such as cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence. These systems are integral to smart city initiatives, which aim to improve the quality of life for residents through better data and connectivity. By providing real-time information about available parking spaces via mobile apps, smart parking systems not only offer convenience for drivers but also help optimize space utilization and decrease resource wastage.
The environmental impact of these systems is significant, as they can reduce the time spent searching for parking, ultimately leading to decreased traffic congestion and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Many cities around the world, including San Francisco, Barcelona, and Dubai, have begun to implement smart parking solutions, reflecting a growing global industry valued at $7.39 billion as of 2023.
Smart parking systems utilize various technologies, such as ground sensors and overhead cameras, to track parking space availability and facilitate payment processes. They can also provide valuable data for city planners, businesses, and law enforcement, aiding in more effective urban management and enforcement of parking regulations. While the benefits are clear, the initial investment and ongoing maintenance costs can pose challenges to implementation, requiring collaboration among public and private stakeholders.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Smart parking systems
Smart parking systems are a proposed component of smart city initiatives. Smart cities seek to use data and technology to improve residents’ productivity, connectivity, and happiness. Smart parking systems use cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence, and other technologies, typically in tandem with a mobile software app, to provide drivers with information about available parking. These systems aim not only to provide convenience for drivers looking for a place to park but also to maximize available space and reduce inefficient or unnecessary use of resources. Proponents of smart cities contend that a data-driven approach to urban planning can help combat the climate crisis. Smart parking systems help support this argument because any decrease in time spent locating a parking space results in a reduction in traffic, fossil fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Smart parking systems can provide benefits to residents, businesses, and visitors. Some cities that have begun experimenting with smart parking systems include San Francisco, California, which launched one of the first such systems in 2010, and Arlington, Virginia, in the United States; Berlin, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Kochi, India; Santiago, Chile; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore. By the early 2020s, smart parking had evolved into a global industry valued at US$7.39 billion in 2023, according to SNS Insider in 2024. The article predicted that the industry would grow substantially, surpassing US$44.9 billion by 2032.
Background
Smart city initiatives began in the early twenty-first century with Cisco and IBM launching respective campaigns aimed at helping cities explore how data and digital technology could improve city management. Policymakers, scholars, and others had already begun discussing ways to apply statistical analysis and use computers for urban planning. Improvements in digital communications networks allow many types of devices to connect to a computer network, often the internet. These devices and their networks may be described as smart and may collectively be referred to as the internet of things (IoT).
Though IoT refers to any devices communicating over a digital network, many IoT devices can connect to smartphone apps, allowing users to send and receive information over their phones. The growth of these networks enables smart cities to gather data, study large data sets, determine probabilities, and share information with residents. Further, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites enable tracking of vehicles, creating additional data to direct parking. While cities began to explore data-driven parking management prior to the introduction of smartphones, the proliferation of these mobile devices has led cities to develop smart parking apps that use drivers’ locations to identify available parking. Vehicles with internet connectivity can also host these apps, allowing drivers to access it from their dashboard. Often, these apps also provide a platform for drivers to pay for parking instead of paying an attendant or a meter.
City managers can use parking data to help make decisions about coordinating events, engineering traffic, and responding to crises. Businesses may access parking data to better understand the needs and behaviors of customers and employees. Law enforcement can use these systems to monitor compliance with parking ordinances. While the benefits of smart parking systems have been widely reported, the matter of cost remains an obstacle. In addition to the immediate upfront costs of installing a smart parking system, the equipment and software require regular maintenance, repair, and updating. These costs may be met through a combination of public and private investment. Implementation requires input from businesses, local government, and the public. Coordinating so many interests can lead to delays.
Overview
While some smart parking systems aim to serve entire cities, others are focused solely on individual neighborhoods or large facilities, such as hospitals, universities, airports, stadiums, convention centers, amusement parks, and shopping malls. Regardless of the area’s size, the mission of the system remains the same—collect data on available parking spaces and communicate that information to drivers.
Smart parking systems rely on three types of technology to compile real-time data on space vacancy. Ground sensor technology uses radar and weight sensors to determine if a space is occupied. Each parking space will usually require its own sensors. Some simple parking management systems deploy ground sensor technology and use lights or other physical indicators above the space to let drivers know its occupancy status. Counter technology is a more primitive system that works best for small facilities, typically gated lots or garages. The device registers when a vehicle enters or leaves the facility. This provides data on the number of available spaces but does not identify their location. More advanced parking management systems employ overhead or camera-based technology. These systems can cover a large area and are better suited to monitor on-street parking than ground sensor or counter technologies. These devices can be placed on streetlights, buildings, or other high perches. A single device can provide coverage for multiple spaces.
In addition to providing drivers with real-time data and guidance about space availability, smart parking systems provide administrators with data they can use to improve services, monitor compliance with parking rules, and offer payment services. Depending on the extent of the system, parking enforcement can simply detect if drivers have parked without paying or can automatically process parking fees when a driver parks a vehicle. Smart parking systems track how long a vehicle is parked and charge accordingly. System managers can use large data sets to predict traffic and offer dynamic pricing systems, in which rates could be adjusted based on demand. As smart parking systems evolve, companies can incorporate car-related services, such as detailing, washing, repair, and electric vehicle (EV) charging. For maximum space efficiency, automated parking systems use technology in a valet function. These systems employ tracks and elevators to move vehicles into spaces that would be difficult or impossible for human drivers to access.
The environmental benefits of smart parking systems center around reducing unnecessary travel as drivers navigate parking. This search for available parking contributes to traffic congestion and wasted fuel. Through efficient parking management, these systems can substantially reduce carbon emissions that accelerate climate change.
Bibliography
Burbano, Lucía. “What Is a Smart Parking System? Functionalities and Benefits.” Tomorrow.City, 17 Aug. 2021, tomorrow.city/a/smart-parking/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Descant, Skip. “Smarter Parking Could Reshape the Urban Landscape.” Government Technology, 17 Feb. 2023, www.govtech.com/smart-cities/smarter-parking-could-reshape-the-urban-landscape/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Jemmali, Mahdi, et al. “Smart-Parking Management Algorithms in Smart City.” Scientific Reports, vol. 12, 20 Apr. 2022, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10076-4/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Jennath, H. S., et al. “Parkchain: A Blockchain Powered Parking Solution for Smart Cities.” Frontiers in Blockchain, vol. 2, 28 Aug. 2023, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbloc.2019.00006/full/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Mouhcine, Elgarej, et al. “An Internet of Things (IoT) Based Smart Parking Routing System for Smart Cities.” International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, vol. 10, no. 8, 2019, DOI: 10.14569/IJACSA.2019.0100870. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Rosenkranz, Eric. “Smart Parking: How It Works and Successful Examples.” Smart CRE, 13 Feb. 2021, smart-cre.com/smart-parking-definition-and-examples/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
"Smart Parking Market Size Worth US$ 44.9 Billion By 2032, Due to Increasing Urbanization & Rising Vehicle Ownership." SNS Insider, 19 Aug. 2024, www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/08/19/2932195/0/en/Smart-Parking-Market-Size-Worth-US-44-9-Billion-By-2032-Due-to-Increasing-Urbanization-Rising-Vehicle-Ownership-Research-by-SNS-Insider.html. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
“Smart Parking Systems Market Size, Share, & Trends Analysis Report by Hardware (Pucks, Cameras & LPRs, Smart Meters, Signage), by Software, by Service, by Type, by Application, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2023 – 2030.” Grand View Research, Jan. 2023, www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-parking-system-market/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Tekouabou, Stéphane Cédric Koumetio, et al. “Improving Parking Availability Prediction in Smart Cities with IoT and Ensemble-Based Model.” Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences, vol. 34, no. 3, Mar. 2022, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319157819312613/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
Zuker, Jeremy. “Smart Parking in the Smart City: How Your Buildings Can Profit.” Buildings, 14 Feb. 2022, www.buildings.com/parking-structures/article/10196140/smart-parking-in-the-smart-city-how-your-buildings-can-profit/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.