The world of parking is now bigger, smarter, and more technologically advanced than the average driver would have ever guessed. In order to meet demands of the growing $3 billion industry, conventions have sprouted to showcase parking’s shakers and innovators.
On June 3, the International Parking Institute (IPI) hosted their annual parking expo in Orlando, Florida. With more than 3,500 attendees, the four-day convention drew the parking industry’s finest from more than 30 countries.
“The convention had an impressive turnout of parking professionals from cities, colleges, and airports who, I noticed, were there to share technology implementation experience with each other or to check out innovative solutions that can address foreseeable changes in demand,” said Rupesh Patel, expo attendee and CEO of Kyosis Smart Parking Technologies.
Who’s Attending?
In the new era of Smart Parking Services, city leaders in places like Summit, Hartford, and San Diego must develop plans to reduce urban congestion and to get drivers parked quickly and safely.
Officials from each of these cities are leading the charge to smart parking by offering an array of options for residents. Right now, these municipalities allow for online parking payment, pre-paid parking, as well as garage and lot options to meet anyone’s parking needs.
As a result, commuters do not actually have to drive to find parking. “Smart” cities like these are becoming more common; decreasing driver frustration and maximizing parking efficiency.
Exhibitors Showing Their Stuff
Attendees of the IPI Parking Expo are looking for new and interesting companies to provide helpful and more efficient parking solutions. Last year, it was estimated that the average American driver wastes 17 hours a year simply searching for a parking spot, according to USA Today.
To combat this issue, a company called Streetline exhibited their software last month in Orlando.
“We put sensors in the ground and when the car comes in over the sensor, we know there is a car there,” said Streetline CEO, Zia Yusuf. “Once we have that information and we’re able to know live when a car is there, you can feed that information into all kinds of different devices.”
Using their technology and mass amount of parking data, Streetline was able to create a smartphone application called Parker. The mobile parking app allows the user to search for and in some cases, even pre-pay for a parking spot of their choosing.
Similarly, businesses like Valetcopter showcased their service at conventions like IPI. In this case, the valet-locating application allows users to search for valet parking at places like airports, casinos, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and more. Once a customer finds a valet near them, they can then request and reserve it instantly—similar to the process of calling an Uber.
Emerging Trends Revealed
With worldwide attendees and innovative, new businesses all under one roof, the IPI convention created a melting pot that revealed cutting-edge technology and forthcoming direction for the parking industry.
Services like Uber and Lyft have brought transportation to a new level in the last five years and have arguably created their own industry that has found its way into the parking world. Shared-Use Mobility has given life to ride-sharing, car-sharing, and even bike-sharing. These services are almost always centrally located, near one another, in highly-populated areas—forming hubs for smart parking and transportation.
The IPI expo also revealed that parking lot and garage access control is quickly changing. Access control tech providers have enhanced license plate recognition (LPR) software, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems. These forms of technology are significantly improving how motorists enter, park in, and exit a lot or garage.
The parking industry has grown, become safer, and more efficient due to new technology and the data it gathers. In the same way that “Find My iPhone” has revolutionized the smartphone industry, Smart Parking Services are ensuring that the business becomes as customer-oriented and seamless as possible.
Attending conventions and expos like IPI is the most practical way to assess the current state of the parking industry. Soon enough, Smart Parking will be a thing of today, rather than an idea for the future and every driver will have the “Find My Parking Space” app queued up for every trek across town.