Flowbird Launches Terminal-Based Emissions Surcharging Solution

Flowbird Urban Intelligence has launched terminal-based digital technology that enables local authorities to levy variable surcharges on vehicles that exceed set levels of CO2 and diesel pollutants.

The new system can be used to generate a separate fee for higher polluting cars at the time of parking, using data linked to official government figures covering vehicle emissions. The digital system is loaded onto Flowbird’s solar-powered, multi-service terminals and provides authorities with an additional means of encouraging the move to lower carbon vehicles and the use of public transport in congested urban areas.

“The ability to apply an emissions-based surcharge via Flowbird parking terminals enables local authorities to add a new dimension to urban environmental strategies designed to encourage the take up of cleaner, low emissions automotive technologies,” said David Lloyd, Regional Marketing Manager at Flowbird.

When a motorist enters a number plate into the parking terminal, the vehicle details are automatically cross-referenced with the DVLA for fuel type and CO2 levels, and any relevant surcharge will be applied and paid for alongside the parking tariff.

Terminals enabled with this capability display separate parking and emissions charges, both of which can be remotely configured across entire parking estates via Flowbird’s cloud-based back office. Dedicated audit trails are also provided for parking revenue and surcharge income.

“We are all aware of the effect of vehicle emissions on human health and on the wider environment, and we believe this system will provide those responsible for urban spaces with another tool for tackling pollution hot-spots,” said David Lloyd.

The new system, which is also compatible with mobile payment platforms, forms part of a growing range of digital services developed by Flowbird. This portfolio includes its Park & Breathe terminal module, which remotely monitors and reports on street-level airborne pollution.

About Flowbird

Parkeon and Cale have merged to create Flowbird, the world’s leading parking services, and urban mobility company.

The name Flowbird expresses the innate ability of birds to navigate individually within crowded spaces; mirroring the benefits for people of the intelligent parking and multi-modal systems developed for towns and cities by Parkeon and Cale.

Flowbird’s group resources include 500 R&D engineers working on behalf of customers to push the boundaries of innovation in transportation hardware, software, sensor systems, machine-learning and AI, information security and mobile development.