Sensor Networks In San Francisco Finds Parking Spots 209
MrSeb writes "You've heard of smart cars, and now, rolling out in San Francisco, is a smart parking system that promises to eliminate the arduous process of finding a parking spot. SFpark is a network of magnetic sensors that have been installed under 8,200 street parking spaces, along with additional information from parking garages and parking meters. These sensors are all linked together in a mesh network, and ultimately link back to a central command center. Drivers can access this parking data via the SFpark website or smartphone app, and see in real-time where parking spaces are available. At any one time, a third of cars on the road in urban areas are looking for parking spots, consuming more fuel, creating more pollution, and causing more accidents. With SFpark, you can see at a glance where there's a parking spot — but in the future, you'll be able to hit a button and have your smartphone direct you to the nearest parking spot."
Re:cool idea, but... (Score:5, Informative)
Oh, and since the summary inexplicably didn't link it, SFpark is here [sfpark.org].
Illegal to use a cell phone while driving (Score:4, Informative)
In California it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving. Even while stopped at a traffic light. So tell me again how I'm going to use this parking spot locator service? I guess I could pull off the road into an empty parking spot and pull up the app, um, wait... Even if I did this, glancing down at my phone to follow the map to the parking spot would be illegal. Yes, it's a poorly written law. But there it is.
Main feature here is dynamic upward pricing of parking and more efficient dispatch of meter-maids. The rest is window-dressing.
Re:Illegal to use a cell phone while driving (Score:5, Informative)
The base fine for the FIRST offense is $20 and $50 for subsequent convictions. With penalty assessments, the fine can be more than triple the base fine amount.
Californian here. Knowing people who have been caught breaking that law, even for the first time with no other offenses, you can expect to pay over $400 for that ticket in San Diego and San Bernardino counties. Just a public service announcement for you potential tourists. So slump in your seat so the cops behind you can't see, cover your phone with your hand like you're scratching your ear so the cops to your left can't see, and keep your mind on the road.
Old News (Score:5, Informative)
July 13, 2008
Smart Parking Spaces in San Francisco [slashdot.org]
This fall, San Francisco will test 6,000 of its 24,000 metered parking spaces in the nation's most ambitious trial of a wireless sensor network that will announce which of the spaces are free at any moment. Drivers will be alerted to empty parking places either by displays on street signs, or by looking at maps on screens of their smartphones. They may even be able to pay for parking by cellphone, and add to the parking meter from their phones without returning to the car.
September 28, 2011
IBM Launches Parking Meter Analytics System [slashdot.org]
"It's not just a parking spot, think of it as a 'revenue-producing asset,' says Vinodh Swaminathan, IBM's director of intelligent transportation systems. Working with San Francisco-based startup Streetline, IBM has launched a system designed to help cities ease parking congestion and collect more parking fees. Streetline's remote sensors can determine if a parking space is taken by a car, whether a customer has paid, and how much time is left on the meter. And IBM's business intelligence software parses the data and generates reports and statistics for government managers. Drivers can benefit too: A free mobile phone app can help locate available parking spaces."
Re:Parking tickets (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, they've found [sfgate.com] the opposite to be true:
The reduction in fines is because "In addition, the new meters have less restrictive time limits, generally allowing drivers to park for four hours or more." So people can actually put enough money in the meters to cover the length of their visit now.
Re:Already exists in places in Japan (Score:4, Informative)
We have a similar, but not quite as sophisticated (no map) system in many (if not most) malls in Australia. Before you even enter the carpark (American: 'parking ramp'), an electronic sign out the front says how many spots are available. If it's none, then off you go to the next area where parking is available.
Once you enter the carpark, green arrows will guide you to the areas where spots are still available (i.e. you might pass by three rows with a red cross and 0 spots available, then come to the fourth row, where a green arrow will now point down that row, next to the number of spots left in that row). Turning into that row you will see that every spot has either a green or red light above it, indicating whether it's occupied (so you can see at a glance how far down you have to drive, and won't miss spots hiding behind large vehicles etc.)
Best thing since sliced bread IMO, almost completely eliminates the hassle of finding spots on a busy shopping day.
This San Francisco system is even more advanced, because it covers a wider area (not just a single mall or whatever), and has the whole smartphone integration thing going on. Also it operates using magnetics in the pavement, rather than the system in Australia that uses some kind of IR laser or sonar or something that beams down from the space above the parking spot to detect whether something's there (you can confuse it by just standing there if you stand in exactly the right spot).
Re:Parking tickets (Score:5, Informative)
San Francisco is a terrible place to have a car. This city has among the highest densities of cars per mile of road of any city anywhere in the world. Having lived there in the early 90s, I can say that my car was much more of a hindrance than a blessing!
San Francisco has great public transportation and stiff density. Walking isn't such a big deal because you don't have to go so far, and buses take you where you don't want to bother walking.
And when you drive, you rarely get to go faster than 20 MPH. You certainly never *average* much more than that. And at that pace, a guy on a bicycle could easily match your progress. The car isn't so much of an advantage.