In 2021, The New York Times profiled Flash’s vision of parking garages as “mobility hubs” – spaces that could transform from simple car storage into dynamic platforms offering everything from EV charging to dinner reservations. Four years later, we’ve evolved some predictions while our principal insights remain remarkably prescient.
Dan Sharplin, my predecessor as CEO and now Board Chairman, who was interviewed for that original Times piece, reflects on how the vision has matured: “Back then, we were thinking big about what parking could become – you never get it all right, but the core insight holds: parking infrastructure wouldn’t become obsolete, it would become more essential.”
Electric Vehicles: Infrastructure Reality Check
Electric vehicle adoption continues to lag original U.S. predictions, and the culprit remains consistent: inadequate charging infrastructure. This challenge has only reinforced parking’s critical role in accelerating EV adoption. Private parking facilities represent untapped potential to fill the charging gap that public infrastructure alone cannot address. Every garage that installs charging stations becomes a catalyst for broader EV acceptance, making electric vehicles practical for more drivers.
Autonomous Vehicles: A Clear Mission for Mobility Hubs
Autonomous vehicles are indeed well down the road to adoption with pilots moving their next expansion phase here in Austin and in other major metros. The autonomous future has come faster than expected and with it a clear vision for ‘mobility hubs’ that crystallizes around a focused mission for parking infrastructure. Cities don’t want these vehicles clogging roadways circling and will need staging hubs where AVs can recharge, wait between fares, or power down during low-demand periods in facilities they can find, access and pay for through exclusively digital interactions. Rather than expansive service centers, parking facilities become the essential pit stops that keep autonomous fleets operational and efficient.
Connected Vehicles: Parking as the Gateway
Connected vehicle technology continues its steady evolution, with parking emerging as a lead use case for in-vehicle payments and seamless digital experiences. The vision of coordinated apps on the dashboard is materializing, with parking serving as the perfect testing ground for frictionless transactions. When drivers can reserve, pay for, and navigate to parking through their car’s native interfaces, connected vehicle ecosystems will quickly become the standard drivers expect.
The End of Accidental Parking
Perhaps the most accurate prediction from 2021 was Flash Chairman Dan Sharplin’s assertion that there would be “very few accidental drivers in the future.” We’re witnessing this transformation accelerate. Over the next 18 months, the era of circling blocks hoping to find parking will give way to planned parking experiences. Drivers will increasingly reserve and pay for spots in advance, guided by citywide parking networks that seamlessly manage driver credentials and make parking effortless.
The Digital Transformation Continues
The fundamental insight remains unchanged: parking infrastructure isn’t disappearing – it’s undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation. The “seamless, frictionless, touchless” mantra from 2021 has become the industry standard, not an aspiration. As urban mobility evolves, parking facilities are proving to be resilient, adaptive assets that anchor the transportation ecosystem rather than obstacles to it.
The future of parking isn’t just here to stay – it’s becoming the backbone of how we move through cities.
