Finding a place to park your car is one of the most frustrating aspects of driving, especially if the area you visit often suffers from congestion. BMW already has a system for detecting potential delays in real time and offering alternate routes, but now the company is convinced that the same technology can be applied to anticipate which spot will be available in the short term.
The situation often repeats more than we would like: either we have to park very far away from the place we need to go, or pay per hour for a special space, which has the potential to affect any budget. In the past we have come across various developments that try to use the little available space more effectively, such as mechanized towers (also called Smart Parking). However, a public concrete patch and a bit of paint represent a much simpler and cheaper option when parking, which leads to constant demand. The difference in growth between the automotive fleet and cities is enormous, so the problem of lack of parking space is going to become more serious.
BMW believes that more robust space management is possible by applying real-time information and activating vehicle fleet monitoring. The system is called Dynamic Parking Prediction, and it is based on the connected navigation platform (ConnectedDrive) that the company offers. A dedicated algorithm analyzes movements and compares them with a digital map made up of all public parking spaces within a city, then presents its best prediction to the driver. According to BMW, the larger the number of cars providing data, the more accurate Dynamic Parking Prediction will be.
The first evaluation of the prototype on board a BMW i3 electric was carried out successfully in March, and now secondary tests are being conducted through the DriveNow car rental service (which is also run by BMW). The choice of the i3 as a base was not a coincidence, since it is a vehicle specially designed for city use (after all, its code name was Mega City Vehicle). BMW has highlighted the prototype nature of Dynamic Parking Prediction, so there are no immediate plans to commercialize this system in the market.
