When it comes to large cities all over the world it is almost impossible to find yourself a free parking spot in the very centre, especially during rush hours. Therefore, Kraków decided to launch a mobile application that will assist the user in finding a perfect place to leave the car.
You’re lucky if someone is just about to leave the parking, otherwise you can drive around in circles forever
One of the biggest Polish IT companies – Comarch, decided to prepare relevant software and test the app on chosen streets. If everything is going smoothly, they will broaden the app’s functioning range.
Start small
Thanks to this innovative solution, after downloading the application on your Android, iOS or Windows phone, you will have access to real-time information about available parking slots in your vicinity. Starting from the very early days of 2017, the application will cover four main streets in Kraków’s centre. 284 wireless sensors and two information boards will be installed to allow the application to function properly.
At the beginning, the system will include the following streets: Szlak, Warszawska, Ogrodowa and Plac Matejki. In future it will be possible to monitor free parking slots in all paid parking zones, as well as in Park&Ride parking lots and other areas of the city that are subject to other operators.
Grow big
The project was commissioned by the Municipal Infrastructure in Kraków. Comarch is responsible for the implementation of the system, which was estimated to be worth around 550,000 dollars. Interestingly, a similar solution was tested in August 2016 in Warsaw at Plac Konstytucji and the Central Railway Station. As announced by the Municipal Roads Management, if the system proves to be effective, a license package for the full version of the software will be bought.
Two different solutions were tested as a part of the experiment. The first one based on wireless sensors installed directly on the surface of parking slots. The second one, in turn, based only on CCTV cameras installed at parking lots that were constantly monitoring current situation.
Using this type of system will ultimately reduce the time spent on searching for parking slots, and indirectly reduce traffic. Undoubtedly, it will also have a positive impact on the drivers’ everyday comfort. It is worth mentioning that many internet users have expressed their fear that – in spite of all the advantages mentioned above – the plan has one important disadvantage: drivers will use their mobiles too often, which in turn can lead to distractions and road bumps, or even more serious accidents.
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