The automotive industry is racing ahead at the speed of light. As society begins to embrace the benefits of electrical energy in driving, other elements of the automotive industry take similar turns towards efficiency and brilliance. As this evolution continues, the logistics of parking comes into question. Here are three parking innovations that will transform the face of a parking space.
Fully Automated Parking Garages
Whilst it may still seem like a distant fantasy to some of us who are all too familiar with scouring five stories of a parking lot for a single space, the development of fully automated parking is in full swing. Automated parking has been around for decades, and in that time it has developed in leaps and bounds. Particularly the control technology at hand.
The one element that’s been holding back this sector is the waiting time. Sure, you don’t have to spend time scouting out a space, but on the other hand you do have to wait several minutes for the machine to load your car. This problem, however, is soon to be of the past. A parking innovation in Aarhus, Denmark, has the capacity of storing 1000 vehicles at once. At its peak, the system takes only two minutes between ticket and loading. This is four times faster than the average waiting time for a traditional parking garage.
To give you an idea of just how much parking will change, companies are studying automated garages with a capacity of up to 3000 cars. What makes it all the more astounding is that automated parking spaces can fit 40 to 60 percent more cars in the same volume of space. The systems have the ability to measure the height of the car, and place it in an according level of the car park. Without the need for human access, some of the levels are only 180 centimeters high.
Dynamic Wireless Charging
Although it might be mind-bendingly hard to comprehend, the technology is in the works for wireless charging. In fact, Mercedes-Benz will be releasing the S500e plug-in hybrid as soon as next year. The technology will function with electro-magnetic charging pads. Initially, they’ll appear in home garages, but in the not too distant future, we could see wireless charging facilities integrated into roads.
That’s right! Charging on-the-go. Rather than a necessary six hour park and charge, cars would rarely need to stop for the sake of charging. The vision is that wireless charging for electric vehicles will be as accessible and widespread as wifi is today. It’s already being piloted by some community bus systems.
This technology could potentially overcome the current issues of plug-in charging infrastructure holding us back from mass adoption. Electric vehicle drivers will be able to charge their batteries as they go about their daily business; parking on charging pads in parking spots and what not.
Self-Parking cars
One major change that will take place is that there will be less of them. The parking innovation of self-parking cars will allow a much more efficient use of available space. Thus, a new generation of parking infrastructure can take place. Whilst we don’t know exactly what it will look like, we know that it will take up a fraction of the space which it takes up today.
To get into specifics, the average space required for a car in a traditional parking garage is about 30 square meters. This includes, for instance, the ramps that connect the different levels. So the space needed for 100 cars would be equal to 3,000 square meters of concrete. With self-parking cars, up to 30 percent of that space could be saved. When you consider how much of our city scape is taken up by parking, it hints at just how much it could change the face of our cities. The architecture will transform in dynamic, becoming smaller and more cost effective.
Undoubtedly, transport is one of the largest factors that shape our cities. It dictates our vision of what a city looks like, and ultimately, how we interact with it. These phenomenons could come into being in the very near future, and in doing so, shift our current city paradigm. We look ahead in eager anticipation!
AREA78
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About Bolidt
Bolidt is the ultimate specialist in synthetic flooring for garage businesses. Bolidt understands that the automotive industry sets strict requirements for aspects such as assembly, maintenance, repairs and sales. Garage owners require a floor that prevents environmentally-harmful substances such as petrol, oil and diesel from permeating the substrate. Falling tools and high mechanical loads must not cause any problems either.
Bolidt has over 50 years' experience in the development, production, and application of synthetic flooring, and is a frequently sought-after partner for companies in the automotive industry worldwide. Garage businesses rely on Bolidt's innovative flooring because of its exceptional functional qualities such as high mechanical and chemical resistance, long service life, ease of maintenance and aesthetics.
