Intelligent parking space management: This is how we save time and money!

Intelligent parking space management: This is how we save time and money!

Finding a parking space in German cities is a real annoying issue for many drivers. According to a recent study, citizens in large cities spend up to 65 hours a year desperately searching for a free parking space. In Cologne, as in other metropolises such as Berlin or Munich, the average search time is around nine minutes. This not only costs nerves, but also money: in Frankfurt am Main, this time adds up to around 1,400 euros per year, which highlights the need for efficient parking space management. Commune21 reports that up to 40 percent of all city traffic is caused by searching for parking spaces and this leads to increased emissions.

These challenges call for innovative solutions. This is where the company Avantpark comes into play. With their digital parking space management, they offer an intelligent way to use existing parking zones without having to seal new areas. Through automatic license plate recognition, which also detects illegal parking, Avantpark not only creates a high level of comfort for drivers, but also reduces the need for control personnel. In this way, significant costs can be saved. In addition, the municipalities receive valuable data about the use of parking spaces, which can be used to optimize the infrastructure, such as e-charging stations or the distribution between short-term and long-term parkers. Digital Magazine highlights that over 80 percent of drivers comply with parking rules when digital solutions are implemented.

The role of cities

However, the reality is that many cities often have to contend with overcrowding and unauthorized parking, particularly in the hotel industry or supermarkets. Not only does this lead to hassle, but it also leads to lost sales. Hotel operators often have fewer parking spaces than guest rooms, while supermarkets suffer from overcrowded parking, which negatively impacts sales. The introduction of digital systems for parking space management can help here by automatically recording the parking duration and ensuring a smoother journey. Stone HGS emphasizes that smart parking technologies provide real-time information about available parking spaces and rely on the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect parking occupancy data.

An important trend that municipalities are observing is the return to independent parking space management. Smaller cities often use municipal companies, while larger metropolises try to take on this responsibility again. This makes sense, because in the future parking fees should be based on traffic volume and demand - a measure that could particularly benefit smaller municipalities.

In summary, digital parking space management not only significantly reduces the effort for operators, but also improves the user experience for drivers. It remains to be seen how quickly cities will respond to these trends and adapt their systems, but one thing is certain: the parking situation in our urban areas will need to evolve with intelligent solutions to meet both the needs of drivers and urban requirements.