The development of parking space technology

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Digitalization has been causing a rethink in society for years, which is changing the demands placed on every area of life. An important point is, of course, mobility, which includes everyday processes such as parking. Until now, every parking space was regarded as a separate cosmos, whose horizon only extended from entry to exit. If you look at the development of parking technology in Germany, it quickly becomes clear that this thinking is no longer up to date. But which technologies have been used so far and what will prevail?

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The classic parking technology: The parking barrier
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A look at the past first shows the development of the parking barrier. From manual opening, to electrical barriers with parking tickets, to modern approaches with chip or license plate recognition.

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The physical delimitation with a barrier clearly regulates the right to enter and exit, but this technology is still associated with high purchase and maintenance costs. Defective barriers require quick action, because damage or technical problems must be resolved quickly due to impending loss of sales. Another disadvantage is sustainability: It is already clear that parking spaces will develop into so-called mobility hubs in many places, which will form hubs for parking facilities, sharing models and public transport. The physical barrier makes this integration of sharing offers and flexible billing models for parking and e-charging difficult.

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Parking space control through built-in parking sensors
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Another digital approach is the use of parking sensors, which are attached to every parking space to be controlled. As a result, park rangers can specifically identify incorrect parkers when they are seized. Sensors also make it possible to obtain information on the occupancy and usage behavior of the parking area. Although less likely to require maintenance than electrical barriers, the sensors have batteries, which must be replaced every 3-5 years. In addition, there is the well-known problem of staffing: Parking space checks are only carried out on a random basis, and potential speeding tickets can lead to trouble in the area and complaints in surrounding businesses.

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Barrier-free parking space technology
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Probably the most advanced technology currently available is based on smart parking systems that operate almost completely without hardware. Through a Scanner records the car license plate when entering and leaving in accordance with the GDPR and based on this, the parking fee is calculated. This can be paid via an app or via a vending machine using all common payment methods. The entire process is digital — barriers, sensors, control personnel and paper tickets are no longer necessary.

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This eliminates immense costs for parking lot operators in the purchase and maintenance of their parking space technology. Digital parking systems are less susceptible to maintenance, as only the license plate scanner needs to be installed in analog form. It is robust and inconspicuous and therefore also protected against vandalism.

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A 24/7 maintenance service for wear parts and system failures, such as is required when parking spaces are restricted, is also no longer necessary. Unlike conventional parking sensors, license plate recognition-based parking technology allows a Maximum park duration monitoring and identified parking violations directly, so that no manual grazing of the area is necessary.

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Digital parking as the technology of the future
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Why should digitization stop before closed parking barriers? Parking people want to avoid rummaging around for small change for vending machines, a paperwork of paper tickets and cumbersome driving to restricted parking spaces. Instead, the parking and payment process should be processed simply and digitally. A return to analog techniques is unthinkable.

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Parking spaces as part of digital mobility concepts
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Parking spaces can no longer be viewed in isolation, but must be integrated as part of digital mobility concepts. The integration of partners to pay parking costs via app, to use car sharing models or even to rent an e-scooter to continue the journey in the inner city area will become more and more established as a standard. This is the only way to turn simple parking spaces into smart mobility hubs. These requirements cannot be met with existing technologies using parking barriers and sensors.

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Barrier-free parking can therefore no longer be regarded as a distant future concept, but is already the new status quo in the parking industry today, which will be unavoidable in the long term.

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One of the established companies in the area of digital parking management is the Munich-based technology provider Peter Park System GmbH. In addition to barrier-free entry and exit through automatic number plate recognition, the Peter Park system provides a platform to integrate various mobility services. In doing so, the company is helping parking operators adapt their technology to contemporary mobility needs and benefit from the advantages of barrier-free technology.