Finally! A Smartphone Solution for Finding That Perfect Parking Space

image via bosch

Bosch’s “Active Parking Lot Management” operates on a disarmingly simple idea: What if each parking spot in large public garage were electronically monitored, so that drivers could not only see how many spaces are open, but exactly where they were, too? Gone would be the wasted time spent circling floor after floor, looking for an open slot. Drivers could simply pull into a ramp, already knowing where their car is going to go.

To make operational their parking ramp concept, Bosch has created a series of lightweight, durable, energy-efficient sensors, which can be placed on–or embedded in the concrete under–a parking space. These sensors transmit their data to a central server, which then updates a smartphone app, allowing drivers to see real-time reports on where to find a spot. It also allows parking lot operators to more accurately and effectively monitor the capacity and usage of their property.

Writes Bosch on the APLM webpage:

The active parking lot management system eliminates the hassle of searching for parking space. From now on, drivers can search for available parking space in their vicinity from a smartphone app. The results appear on the display and can be filtered by price, parking space size or special requirements such as parking spaces for parents and electric vehicle charging stations. The selection is made with a simple click - and the user is already navigated direct to his newly set destination.

The company claims that their system not only will cut back on urban traffic snarls caused by predatory drivers circling for a spot, but will ultimately ease carbon dioxide emissions, as cars will be able to quickly and efficiently be pointed to a space, rather than trawling for minutes on end.

image via bosch

While the concept itself is fairly straightforward, what truly sets Bosch’s system apart is its modularity. By relying on self-contained sensors, each with a battery life of up to seven years, and requiring no external wires or chords, the company claims a parking garage could be brought online within a mere twenty four hours. What’s more, as the automotive world readies itself for the long-heralded arrival of self-driving cars, the system could theoretically work to seamlessly direct these driverless vehicles to an open parking spot, further automating their functionality.

In a release put out by Bosch, the company says they plan to transition the Active Parking Lot Management system into use in their own garage facilities, soon.

[via gizmag]