Currently, the most popular Smart City initiative is Smart Parking. Several Smart Parking projects have been initiated in a lot of cities around the globe to avoid traffic and parking hassle. Because of its easy-to-install, scalable, efficient and flexible nature, Smart Parking is considered as the low barrier solution. It is perfect for modern cities that want to bring potential benefits to their citizens while harnessing the power of IoT.
The adoption of Smart Parking solutions has now become the need of densely populated cities as the number of vehicles is increasing at a surprising rate. The research conducted by the Green Car report has revealed that by 2035 the number of vehicles on the road will increase up to 2 billion which will make the parking environment and roads even more congested. This highlights the need for the integration of Smart Parking solutions in every city.
Advanced and intelligent parking solutions not only reduce the traffic on the roads but also prevent drivers from getting stuck in the areas due to the non-availability of parking. With the help of real-time data available on digital displays or mobile applications, the drivers can find available parking spaces without any hassle.
The following article discusses the top 5 benefits of Smart Parking Solutions for drivers and how this innovative system is solving the traditional car parking problems encountered by drivers.
Traditional Car Parking Problems Faced By Drivers
A surge in the demand for secure parking spaces has been observed due to two major trends, which are increasing urbanization and an increase in car ownership. The increased number of vehicles on the road is making the parking experience adverse for the drivers. In the traditional parking system, drivers face considerable losses in terms of money, productivity and time which is wasted in search of parking spots in densely populated areas. This not only makes the drivers frustrated but also increases the traffic on the road which in turn consumes 35% of the overall commute time of the drivers. Hence, it can be said that the traditional parking systems are not capable of providing a smooth parking experience to the drivers along with reducing the parking search traffic on the roads. This highlights the rationale of adopting advanced technologies to make the urban transport system modern and ease the problem faced by the drivers.
5 Potential Benefits of Smart Parking Solution for the Drivers
1. Consumption of Less Fuel
Smart Parking solution is an outcome of human innovations and advanced technology which not only provides easy access to the parking spots but also help in saving valuable resources such as fuel, time and space. In the urban regions where smart parking solutions are incorporated, drivers are guided straight to the empty parking spots. This eliminates the need of driving extra kilometres in order to find empty parking spots. Hence, less fuel is wasted with the Smart Parking solution which ultimately saves the drivers’ money and smoothens their parking experience.
2. Cost and Time Efficient Solution
Smart parking technologies have the potential to save both time and money for drivers. This is because when the drivers enter the congested parking area they spent several minutes in search of a parking spot. This ultimately wastes their time, making them frustrated as the drivers are not able to reach the desired destination on time. Likewise, travelling extra kilometres in search of parking increases the fuel waste which in turn increases the money spending of the drivers of the car fuel. Smart Parking is an IoT based solution, equipped with sensors that send data to applications about the vacant parking spots. The drivers use this application to direct themselves to the available parking spaces instead of wasting their time and fuel in search of one.
3. Minimize the Personal Carbon Footprint
Another benefit of smart parking is that it reduces carbon emissions from vehicles by decreasing the congestion and mobility of the vehicles in search of parking. When the drivers move from one place to another for parking, this enhances the individual environmental footprint. Nearly, 20 minutes are spent by each driver in the USA in search of parking, wasting fuel and time, along with creating traffic congestion in urban areas. The increased search time increases the emission of carbon footprint, but with the help of a smart parking solution, the search time can be minimized. All the fuels such as diesel, petrol and fossil fuel produce carbon dioxide emissions which adversely impact the environment. Another negative factor of the personal carbon footprint release from the vehicles is that it does not directly impact human life, but it is a potential contributor to climate change. When smart parking solutions are integrated into the urban areas, the release of individual environmental footprint, especially the release of carbon dioxide is ultimately reduced.
4. Reduce Parking Stress
The majority of the people avoid going to the congested part of the city as they do not want themselves to get stuck in the parking hassle which creates stress and anxiety among the drivers. Knowing that you will be spending so much time in search of parking but will still end up parking your car in a space far away from the destination is extremely discouraging. Furthermore, driving around the same street again and again and still not finding a space to park a car is frustrating. Smart parking solutions are aimed to make the parking experience of the drivers stress-free. Smart parking applications let the divers know about the available parking space in the area they want to travel to. This reduces the unpredictability and stress associated with finding an appropriate parking space near the desired destination.
5. Reduce Search Traffic on Streets
Nearly, 30% of the traffic in the urban areas is created by parking search. Smart parking solutions enable the municipalities to manage and reduce parking search traffic on the streets. This technology also ensures parking safety, but its major contribution to traffic congestion are the factors of making the parking experience faster, more convenient and hassle-free. Smart parking technologies ensure to reduce the number of cars circling around the streets for finding a parking spot. This ultimately smoothens the traffic flow and minimize the search traffic on streets as much as possible.
Conclusion
The article highlights that the IoT enabled Smart parking solutions are benefitting the drivers in the best possible manner. These innovative solutions are perfect for resolving the parking problems in urban areas. The smart parking solution provides a stress-free parking experience to the drivers and enables them to find vacant parking spaces immediately around their destination.
