Montreal Parking Meters Run Linux 506
jbecherv writes "According to LinuxDevices.com, new-fangled Montreal parking meters run embedded Linux (Google Cache). The City of Montreal is planning to roll out 500 to 800 wireless, solar-powered parking payment stations based on embedded Linux. There is even a
device profile
(Google Cache) that show some details about the meters... These meters run kernel 2.4.19 on a 206MHz StrongARM SA-1110. Each system has 64MB of RAM, boots from a CF device, and is networked wirelessly via GPRS."
I know little about embedded devices (Score:5, Insightful)
Is it just me... (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously, what's the deal?
great. (Score:4, Insightful)
as if meters aren't expensive enough... We really needed someone to come up w/the bright idea to allow dynamic changes to parking meters.
The last parking meter I parked at was 25 cents for 10 minutes. That's just nuts. This will just enable them to have meters that take credit cards forcing even higher rates.
Want a way to stop people from coming downtown? Raise the rates on the meters even higher.
Simple and Reliable (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Insightful)
it's cheaper for the meter company to get very generic, albeit overpowered, parts that will 'just work' then tinker with lower grade hardware
And the reason is? (Score:5, Insightful)
Just like touch screen voting, this seems like a "because we can" application of technology. Sometimes there's no reason to replace what works. The old steel parking meters are quite literally bulletproof. I simply cant imagine any reason that makes networked meters any better.
Of course, when I moved to DC I sold my car and bought a bus pass, so what do I know?
Linux and ARM technology - Cool! (Score:2, Insightful)
Interesting that it's now powering digital parking meters - running Linux no less!
Overkill (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Sharpie Permanent Marker (Score:4, Insightful)
Maybe they could put the solar panels on poles?
Instructions (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:how hackable is something like this? (Score:5, Insightful)
Amazing (Score:4, Insightful)
But alas here I am... sober.
What I wonder is, being able to use your cell phone to pay for your parking fare on such a possible UBER METER, would it also SMS or phone you to nag you that your time is almost up and it's time to "feed" the meter?
Anyone that remembers pay toilets is surely dieing for info on state-of-the-art bleeding edge toilet tech. Anyone have any info on computerized pay toilets?
Wow (Score:4, Insightful)
That's incredible!
Re:great. (Score:5, Insightful)
Surely this is a perfect use of the market to determine price. We all accept that if we book a flight at an off peak time we'll get a cheaper price - why not the same for parking? Cities get busy during the day but are often quieter in the evening. What a boon for restaurants if parking can be set at $2 for the entire evening. If there's a big evening even on then $2 is too cheap - all the spaces will fill and chaos ensues, so adjust the rate to $4 an hour and encourage folk to take the metro / bus / taxi instead.
Re:Free Software (Score:3, Insightful)
not that i'd ever do anything like that.......
Potential Application (Score:5, Insightful)
I would like them to come up with a device (or a GPS plugin or whatever) which would show me the empty parking spots available in a radius around my current location.
I would think most people who work/commute downtown and don't want to pay monthly parking fees would be willing to shell out big bucks for such a feature.
Certainly beats crawling around the roadside for hours trying to find a parking spot.
Not cool from city's point of view (Score:5, Insightful)
This is why there's often a short maximum total parking time limit -- gotta have turnover. The more people park, the more tickets have a chance of getting written.
This is also why you see news stories every now and then about people who go around feeding other people's meters getting arrested or otherwise harrased. These Helpy Helpertons cut down on revenue.
Municipalities don't want obedience, they want money. The parking-meter scam is but one method.
Re:great. (Score:4, Insightful)
Want a way to stop people from coming downtown? Raise the rates on the meters even higher.
Suppose you dynamically adjusted the rates so high that 10% of the parking spaces were always vacant.
Then rich folks could always be sure of finding parking.
Wouldn't that make downtown merchants happy?
Re:Is it just me... (Score:2, Insightful)
other people drool over beefy kickback$.
Neither one really makes a WHOLE LOT of sense, in a big picture view.
From TFA: (Score:3, Insightful)
Why (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Where is the soruce code? (Score:4, Insightful)
It looks like your making a joke, but I figured I'd mention this anyways as people seem to get confused at times about what the GPL demands of distributors.
The GPL states their obligation for supplying the code is to those who receive their products and by inferrence to whom they have distributed the imbedded Linux binaries to.
It looks like to get the code you're going to have to buy a traffic meter from them or ask for it from one of their current customers.
Re:how hackable is something like this? (Score:4, Insightful)
But with old-style parking meters, city guys go out and manually clean out each machine by hand every day.
Re:great. -- that's a MINOR benefit. How about... (Score:2, Insightful)
- expired meters signal the agent to stop by and ticket. No more walking around checking every meter.... Super efficient way to raise revenues
- weekly/monthly stats of spaces highlight the areas of highest overtime parking incidence. Again, super efficient means of tagging and collecting revenue.
- stats reveal where meter feeding is commonplace, actual park time, and help set time limits based on actual usage. Again, super efficient means to more revenue.
- stats indicate effectiveness of foot agents in monitoring meter use and citing violators.
- "Average Time past exiration before ticketed" and "number of overtime cars who got away before being ticketed" come to mind as new performance metrics for metermaids of the 21st century.
and on and on and on..... Remember people, it's all about money.
Re:Are they complying with the GPL? (Score:3, Insightful)
Are users being given the option of download the source code?
The GPL requires disclosure of source code upon request of people who have acquired the binaries. Most Montreal residents don't have the binaries, so they aren't entitled to the source code. If the city itself bought the program (and the parking meters aren't being run through a proxy company such as the parking meter manufacturers), then the city is entitled to source code.
Re:Another reason to steal parking meters... (Score:3, Insightful)
This mostly comes from the poster calling it a "Parking Meter" when it is more like a "Parking Pay Station".
Re:Snow powered? (Score:3, Insightful)
Even if it's a dreary rainy day, your solar powered calculator works just fine, and it's only got three or four low quality solar cells.
Re:CF + Camera? (Score:4, Insightful)
The media you mentioned is strictly for the common folk (not meant as a slure: all my cameras use SD
TW
Re:Solar powered? (Score:3, Insightful)
The big benefit is the new machines are more difficult to vandalize and are easier to maintain which means they work. They're regularly communicating with head-office and report when something is broken.
It had been estimated that up to 10% of the old meters were broken at any given time. 10% of the meters not collecting revenue was a much bigger issue.
Re:I know little about embedded devices (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not cool from city's point of view (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I know little about embedded devices (Score:3, Insightful)
Point 2 - If you want to do it again, please do it when Shrub is home.