Last year was a very interesting year for us, we had the 3rd edition or our Shopping Center Parking Network Event and an amazing 10th edition Airport Parking Network Event.
We saw parking developments in the green city sector with car sharing, peripheral P&Rs, and even underwater parking. We also saw advancements in EV charging throughout 2018. Many cities embraced developments in smart parking through the adoption of parking apps and implementation of smart sensors. Traditional parking was also a hot topic, with many airports improving their parking facilities with offerings such as valet parking, VIP parking, and e-hailing.
As we are approaching the end of the first month of 2019, what trends can we expect this year in the parking industry?
We anticipate the industry to become more customer-centric. Increasingly customers are demanding a seamless and stress-free experience. The gathering of customer data further allows organizations to implement friction-free solutions through increased use of subscriptions and License Plate Recognition (LPR). Wayfinding, mobile solutions and even onboard implementation by OEMs will lead to a complete customer experience.
Mobility will be an area of focus in 2019, with expected developments in apps with real-time data, dynamic pricing, and connected cars. Cities are becoming increasingly conscious about congestion and we see continual changes being made to combat this, with various methods aimed at decreasing curbside competition and congestion. We expect this will continue into 2019 and beyond, as the number of vehicles on the road increases. We also anticipate more focus on sustainable strategies, not only to reduce operational costs for parking structures but also to improve the landscape in urban areas.
This year at Parking Network we will be shaking up our weekly news. We will be featuring our members on a regular basis to see what their developments are and gain insight into all of the niches within the parking industry. Our first topic later this week will be “Future Trends 2019” so keep your eyes peeled to see what our members have to say!
If you would like to see a specific topic be featured, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us at editor@parking.net to join the discussion!
