How Innovative Technology Is Disrupting The Parking Industry

In the big picture, the highly advanced computer-based reality that you know is just a blip on humanity’s timeline. Although technology seemingly touches every part of our daily lives, from how we get our news to how we order food, many industries still haven’t fully evolved along with the rest. As automobile tech accelerates into the future at a record pace, how and where we park our cars is lagging far behind. At FlashParking, we’ve made it our sole mission to bring the transformative power of cloud-computing to the parking industry. We believe that intelligent integration of tech and hardware can, will, and is completely revolutionizing how people think about and utilize parking.

“We’re proud to be part of an ever-growing list of companies that have set out to leverage technology to improve services for both business owners and end-users.”

We’ve created an innovative suite of advanced parking management solutions that disrupt the parking industry, ushering in a new era of real-time responsiveness to consumer needs and demand. We’re not alone in the race toward creating a smarter, more dynamic future for parking. Through curated partnerships and alliances, FlashParking offers an entire ecosystem of smart parking solutions that not only benefit parking asset owners, but all those who utilize their services. Learn how technology is disrupting the parking industry to create a smarter, more connected experience.

Parking and Technology Go Hand In Hand

The parking industry has suffered from the same setbacks for years—seemingly unable to climb out of the primordial soup of glitches, malfunctions, static pricing, and costly manual updates. Even with great minds working to improve efficiency and reduce human error, it wasn’t until recently that technology emerged which enables parking lots and garages to truly reach their full potential.

Through the powerful combination of cloud-based computing and custom hardware-as-a-service (HaaS), FlashParking empowers owners and operators to fruitfully function at the cutting-edge of the parking industry. Our parking management system improves oversight, simplifies management and maintenance, and increases not only overall revenue but the number of potential revenue streams. We achieve these lofty goals by utilizing several high-tech capabilities. Below is a list of ways that technology is improving how owners and operators manage their parking assets.

8 Ways That Tech Improves Parking

  1. Cloud Computing. Cloud-based platforms are the smart solution to ensure unlimited scalability while reducing redundancies and maintenance time and costs. FlashParking was built from the ground-up utilizing the mighty power of the Microsoft Azure Cloud Platform, which currently powers 90% of Fortune 500 companies and is lauded for its reliability. The system provides extra convenience due to its multi-tenant capabilities, allowing owners to connect multiple locations in a single cloud instance. The ability to remotely manage, reset, and reprice your asset ultimately leads to easier management and a better customer experience. Reducing lag time when seconds count could be the advantage that sets your parking lot ahead of the competition. As new consumer demands such as touchless payment options emerge, cloud-based systems allow over-the-air updates to keep your business relevant and functional at a moment’s notice.
  2. Scalability. FlashParking was purposefully designed to scale up or down as your needs change. Our systems work for any size establishment through flexible programming and are always ready to evolve and expand as your business grows.
  3. Redundancy. The right kind of redundancy! One valuable benefit of running your business on cloud-based software is the ability to expand, change, or even duplicate your setup without ever experiencing data loss. Because we’re extra cautious, we keep three backups of your information to ensure you’re always up and running. That makes it easy to access your unique setup at any time, including when transferring or installing it to new locations.
  4. Minimal Maintenance. Because software updates and resets are performed remotely, owners greatly reduce the need for in-person maintenance. FlashOS runs continuously, boasting a 99.9% uptime, which ensures that your asset is operating at its peak efficiency at all times and is always equipped with the latest technology.
  5. Bluetooth. This familiar technology simplifies garage interactions for seamless access and convenient payment experiences for your customers. FlashParking’s Bluetooth integration makes the entire parking process faster and easier by eliminating unnecessary actions and materials such as printed parking tickets.
  6. RFID, AVI, and LPR. As Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI), and License Plate Recognition (LPR) technologies become more ubiquitous in our modern cities, parking garages are the ideal locations to benefit from this convergence of tech and service. These new technologies lead toward a faster entry and exit experience by triggering actions such as gate openings, automated gate access, and simplified payments for customers.
  7. Mobile Payments. Mobile payment options have quickly become the standard for checkouts in almost all commerce situations, from retail to restaurants. FlashParking enables mobile and touchless payment options for your visitors, allowing parking to meet consumer expectations without missing a beat.
  8. eParking Reservations. Locating, reviewing rates, and reserving a spot in advance is a great selling point for potential customers. Parkers around the country are using apps to find parking every day. FlashParking’s partnerships and integrations with leading reservation apps increase your visibility, usage, and, ultimately, your income.

Leaders In Tech

We’re proud to be part of an ever-growing list of companies that have set out to leverage technology to improve services for both business owners and end-users. Amazingly, many of these disruptors are in the parking sector with us. For example, the industry is trending toward more diligent car-counting with synchronized availability displays. This feature offers valuable insight to potential parkers before entering a lot. Advanced alerts help alleviate parking-caused congestion, as well as overall emissions. We bet you never thought that smart parking technology could benefit the environment.

Because electric vehicles are the future of transportation, considerable time and energy has been spent developing new technologies to better serve them. Charging electric vehicles has come to the forefront of parking challenges. EVBox is offering a novel approach to this challenge with their eco-conscious charging solutions. For every EVBox station installed, they are donating a tree to help reforest areas that are affected by climate change.

“Beyond reducing congestion, it’s estimated that parking garages designed for self-parking cars may take up 60% less space than traditional lots since cars can park more closely together, and elevators and stairs are no longer needed.”

Carmaker Audi has entered the smart parking game through its partnership with the city of Somerville, Massachusetts. Together, they are working on self-driving and self-parking cars. Their goal is to reduce congestion by allowing drivers to exit their vehicles right at their destination with the car autonomously parking in a designated lot. Beyond reducing congestion, it’s estimated that parking garages designed for self-parking cars may take up 60% less space than traditional lots since cars can park more closely together, and elevators and stairs are no longer needed.

Here and Now

The technology to bring parking into the 21st century is here. The future of smart parking is now. FlashParking is the industry-leading platform that parking asset owners and operators have been waiting for. As cities around the world begin to adapt to and embrace new automotive technologies, it’s imperative that parking facilities rise to the occasion. Leaders in the parking industry recognize that the integration of intelligent parking software and purpose-built hardware is the direct path to success in our fast-paced urban environments. Technology that enables and enhances the parking experience will fundamentally change the way that consumers view their commutes—creating customer loyalty while ultimately benefiting the bottom line for parking lot owners and operators.

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