Project report IPark4U

Flanders Institute for Mobility - Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit vzw Wetenschapspark 13 B-3590 Diepenbeek T +32 11 24 60 00 F +32 11 24 60 09 E info@vim.be www.vim.be

Table of content

Intro 1 Research questions 1.1 Project organization 2 Technical description 2.1 Front-end technology 2.2 Back-end technology 3 What were the use cases? 3.1 Use case 1: What is the nearest and available public parking garage? 3.2 Use case 2: How can I pay in-car, off-street? 3.3 Use case 3: Hoe can I pay ON-STREET? 3.4 Use case 4: How to get parking information on my iPhone? 3.5 The missing use case: How can I reserve my parking space? 3.6 The accidental use case: Where is my stolen vehicle parked? 4 The demonstration with test users 4.1 User feedback 5 Analysis of the potential 5.1 Technological challenges 5.2 Societal relevance 5.3 Business Opportunities and Threats 5.3.1 IPark4U opportunities? 5.3.2 Threats for IPark4U?

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Intro

There is an increasing demand for parking infrastructure and information. Innovative solutions are needed to fulfill the demand. The IPark4U demonstration project wanted to show that there is a pragmatic match possible between technology and parking information needs. The broader goal of the project is to use technology to create a parking service in city environments to reduce parking searching traffic and offer the driver a quality service. In IPark4U an on-board unit (OBU) based system was developed that combined in car navigation with real time parking information, with the option for the driver to change his SATNAV (satellite navigation) destination to a parking of his choice, near final destination. Also the payment transactions could be done via the OBU, and/or the mobile phone of the driver. So: navigation, parking en payment in 1 service! The technological innovation niche of IPark4U was the offering of a quality in car, real time, dynamic parking availability information service in the neighborhood of the destination address, including a payment service.

Dr. Sven Maerivoet (Transport & Mobility Leuven) Bart Lowyck (Flanders Institute for Mobility - Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit)

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Research questions

As mentioned in the introduction the aim was to offer the driver dynamic - quality - real time- near destination parking information with an option to be guided to a selected parking garage and after parking being able to pay for the elapsed parking time. How? The information was to be offered in-car, on an OBU (on board unit) or on a Smartphone (iPhone) application. Under Real-time we understand minute based information about parking availability. The information quality depends on the precision of measurement in the parking garages themselves: since this is the (local) decision basis to accept or refuse extra cars in the parking garage, it is accurate enough for this project. Dynamic implies that the information is time dependent: see the real time aspect of the project. The parking spaces to which the driver was guided all are located in parking garages. Near destination means that the driver has to be able to define his destination and receive route guidance information. The payment function is usable for off-street and on street parking, and is based on the Belgian SMS parking system.

The information sent to the drivers is not the prediction of availability on the estimated time of their arrival, but the actual availability. Predicting availabilty would be an interesting study case. The assumption was that the driver himself would be able to estimate the probable occupancy of the destination parking in function of the actual number of spaces left, travel time still to be covered and time of day of arrival.

Research questions: What is needed to create an IPark4U service? Displaying relevant parking info in-car, with payment functionality and route guidance. How? Via an on-board unit and/or Smartphone. Where? Q-Park parking garages in Antwerp (Rubens, Astrid), Brussels-Centre, Leuven Heilig Hart, and all Belgian Cities with SMS-parking coverage. Who? 15 selected test drivers. When? March 2009 March 2010. The project is mainly intended as a technical demonstration in which (1) it is demonstrated that the concept is technologically feasible, and is implemented for a selected Group of test users, (2) collaboration between different Parking related parties with technology parties is shown, and (3) possible business cases are identitfied.

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1.1

Project organization

The project was initiated by the Flanders Institute for Mobility (Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit or VIM) in collaboration with a group of private companies. Within the network of VIM there are 170 organizations present (private companies, government, knowledge centers, trade organizations). For IPark4U VIM brought together following companies: GEO Solutions Mobile-For Q-Park SKIDATA Fleetronic Eurotronics TeleAtlas Oracle Transport & Mobility Leuven

In this cooperative project nearly all partners financed their own participation. VIM took charge of the project organization, did the follow up of the test users and financed the remaining loose ends (some hardware, assembly, development, analysis and reporting).

Technical description

The system is a combination of front-end and back-end technology:

2.1

Front-end technology

The front-end consists of the OBUs: these are GPS navigation devices with the ability to communicate over GPRS/GSM. These units were installed in the test cars without damaging the cars

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interiors. The OBU receives power from the car battery. The next photo shows the visible part of the OBU: the navigation device with touch screen display:

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There is a second part of the installation, hidden under the dashboard: the track and trace unit through which the communication with the IPark4U servers is realized Parking payments can be done directly on the OBU touch screen, through a customized service of the SMS parking payment operator Mobile For with their 4411 service. The OBU uses the Geo Solution Navigation program, based on the 2009 BENELUX Teleatlas maps, which means that also normal SATNAV functionality is possible. Extra there was also an iPhone-app on parking availability (without navigation function).

2.2

Back-end technology

The back-end technology is spread over multiple components. These are responsible for: Collection and distribution of parking information, coming from the public parking garages. The SMS payment traffic.

The participating public parking garages were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Antwerp Astridplein (station). Antwerp Rubens. Brussels Centre. Brussels Louise. Leuven Heilig Hart (hospital).

The project was set up on basis of a reference architecture in which each partner did his contribution. The parking garages of Q-Park through the SKIDATA HOSTCOM-module make a wide array of parking data available in a XML-standard. Upon calculation between the final destination and parking garage, the calculation was made via the TeleAtlas/Oracle Innovation Center (TOIC). In this calculation map technology was used, so one-way streets were taken into consideration... Fleetronic OBUs were used in the project, equipped with GEO Solutions customized SATNAV software. The payment transactions were handled by the servers from Mobile-

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For. The hub of the infrastructure is the CiPark1 database the common access point for all parking related information. In IPark4U context it was fed by the Hostcom-module.

Reference Architecture:

CiPark = Centrally Integrated Parkingplatform (see Vlaams Servicehuis Parkeren below).

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What were the use cases?

4 use-cases were implemented. These describe from a user perspective which steps are to be taken to reach the set goals: Use Use Use Use case case case case 1: 2: 3: 4: What is the nearest and available public parking garage? How can I pay in my car, off-street? How can I pay in my car, on-street? Can I get dynamic parking information on my iPhone?

3.1

Use case 1: What is the nearest and available public parking garage?

On the OBU the nearest public parking garage and the available parking spaces can be found. Since only 5 parking garages participated nearest could be quite far in reality. To activate this service the user has only to push the P button on the touch screen (top right corner)

The system replies with the nearest found parking, indicating how many spaces are still free on the total capacity of that particular site. Also the (driving) distance to the site is indicated.

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If the driver confirms that he accepts the suggested selection, the OBU will navigate automatically to the new destination:

Second possibility is first to enter a destination on the SATNAV, and only then to start the autosearch for a parking facility near that destination. If a suitable choice is found, the driver can decide to change the SATNAV destination to that parking instead of the final destination. Remark: in the test the system only looks for parking options in a radius of max 5 km of the final destination. If none were found the message no parkings available was given.

3.2

Use case 2: How can I pay in-car, off-street?

Upon entering the parking garage the driver takes a parking ticket. Before leaving the parking the driver can pay for the parking via his OBU using the code on the ticket. This code has to be entered on the OBU over the touch screen interface. The OBU makes a GPRS connection to Mobile For payment servers:

The payment is linked to the SMS-payment service based on the cell-phone account of the driver. So he will be billed that way. This also means that the clearing of the parking ticket can be done from the cell Phone of the user instead of via the OBU.

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Upon leaving the parking, the validated ticket is fed into the reader at the barrier. The validity is checked on the Skidata servers and the barrier opens

3.3

Use case 3: Hoe can I pay ON-STREET?

For street side parking spaces (Mobile For) SMS parking is available in the cities of: Antwerp, Beveren, Bruges, Diest, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Leuven, Lokeren, Schaarbeek, Tienen, Turnhout and Wetteren. In the normal SMS parking use case the driver has to text the zone code depicted on the nearest pay and display machine + his license plate number in an SMS and send this info to the service number 4411. Using the IPark4U OBU the procedure is even simpler since the position code is not necessary (GPS knows position) and also the license plate number is known in the OBU. This information is forwarded by simply pushing the start parking button on the touch screen. After the OBU has transmitted the data over GPRS to the Geo Solutions servers where the conversion of GPS coordinates is done to the SMS parking zone code, that information together with the cell phone number of the driver is forwarded to the Mobile for servers for billing and clearing. The actual billing will be done either directly on the cell phone bill (only for Proximus customers) or via a separate monthly 4411 bill.

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After parking the car the driver pushes the Start P button, to end the parking session stop P. To end a session alternatively the cell phone can be used (texting Q to 4411). The manual option is useful since you can already text a simple Q while walking back to the car!

The calculation of total amount (on a minute based rate) is handled automatically by the system and the driver receives an SMS confirmation of it.

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Due to the link of IPark4U with the mobile phone of the user there is a very useful mobile IPark4U interface. For example: prolong the street side parking session when the maximum parking time is reached (without having to go back to the car). Upon maximum time the driver receives an alertSMS, on which can be replied (per SMS) that extension of the parking session is to be done.

3.4

Use case 4: How to get parking information on my iPhone?

Similar to usecase1 real time parking information is offered to iPhone users. In the custom made app the user will see a map with all registered public parking lots:

After selecting a specific parking lot, the real time availability is collected and displayed on screen.

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3.5

The missing use case: How can I reserve my parking space?

This is a logical and interesting use case: being able to reserve a place from the OBU in your car. Due to the following arguments made, this use case was not withheld in IPark4U: In the case of parking space reservation there are a number of difficulties. Reservation is most useful in parking garages that are almost fully occupied. In that case parking access will not be granted to non- reservators and they will find the barrier(s) not opening -> queue before the barriers. Then you need a separate entrance for reserved space users! To reserve the individual spaces within the parking lot is the second (infrastructural) problem : first solution : an inner-car park a extra barrier disclosable zone within the parking, second solution simply keep the last x reserved spaces available by closing the barrier in time for non reserved customers. For the second solution the last few spaces are usually difficult to find and often not very comfortable (smallest parking spaces, badly parked neighbors,) In that case an inner parking guidance system based on individual parking spaces detectors is a necessity for larger and or complexer parking garages. Pricing: should reserved parking spaces be more expensive? If so, how much more expensive? If there is no reservation cost calculated, perhaps there is the need for an annulation cost (to compensate missed income). ETA (estimated time of arrival): how soon can one declare a reserved space as a no-show? When creating the possibility for reservation there are considerable investments to be done in the parking infrastructure : can these costs be recovered by the (little?) extra income from reservation? Identification: how can the reserving party be identified? Identification solutions based on credit card, license plate recognition, barcodes, RFiD, are available but come with a cost !

Considering the arguments above one quickly comes to the conclusion that is an unwise investment to adapt existing parking garages for reservation unless there is a solid business case that can justify considerably higher parking rates. It is however to be considered upon planning a new parking infrastructure, then the extra cost is manageable and if the location of the parking fits the bunisess cases conditions, a reservation system can be profitable .

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On-street reservation of parking spaces is (at this time) not met by a technical solution that is affordable.

3.6

The accidental use case: Where is my stolen vehicle parked?

Interesting though not intentional: 1 of the test vehicles was stolen on February 5th 2010. Thanks to the tracking module in IPark4U, the vehicle was recovered the same day.

The demonstration with test users

After technological implementation the system was tested by 15 users. Their cars were equipped with the IPark4U OBU. In the OBU their license plate number and cell phone number were entered as parameters for identification and billing.

4.1

User feedback

During the testing period, a number of parameters were saved. One of the more important result parameters was the number of successfully handled transactions. These concerned both off-street as on-street SMS based payments and the vast majority were successful. The most important feedback came for the test users themselves, so modifications and corrections could be made to the system. The feedback can be catalogued in 4 categories: On-board unit The OBUs booting time is too long: should be faster specifically for the parking functions. Navigation is less critical The touch screen is insufficiently readable in sunny conditions. The OBUs touch screen has to be switched on/off An always on or standby version would be more comfortable to, avoid waiting times. This is important when returning to the car as well for on-street as for off-street parking: waiting 30 seconds to start entering a parking ticket number or to press the stop P is irritating. A useful improvement of the system would be an automatic end of on-street parking: upon starting and moving of the car. A theft proof installation of the touch screen or an easier decoupling system from the dashboard would be handy. Occasional problems with urban canyons inaccuracy of positioning. Automatic transition functionality between night and day view of the screen should be added. A number of times the software failed without probable cause.

Navigation The back-end calculation of the distance between parking and final destination over estimates the distance since it is not using walking distance but driving distance (one way roads!). Also the indication of the walking route upon arriving in the parking would be handy; ideally interaction between OBU and Smartphone with walking navigation on the smartphone. Indication of ETA instead of remaining travelling time

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Automatic destination detection by coupling of (outlook) agenda with the navigation device. One user reported lower accuracy in Brussels then previously used SATNAV systems. Some minor SATNAV errors were reported (wrong indication of direction, incorrect local map data). After choosing a parking as new destination have the option to cancel this choice and go back to the initial destination.

Parking Off-street All (public) parkings should be available in the system, also useful without parking availability information. Park & Ride functionality: upon approach of a P+R the driver should be informed about price and (estimated) travel time to his final destination using P+R.

SMS-parking, On-street The P button on de navigation screen should be useable for SMS parking on-street as well (without having to use the sub menu). Upon entering an SMS parking zone this could be indicated on screen + pricing local onstreet vs. nearby off-street parking garages. Automatic ending of parking sessions upon detection of vehicle movement. Some startup faults were removed (e.g. Not recognized zones, failing end of session message ...).

Apart from the feedback most test users agreed that the payment comfort had increased : the improved SMS parking service just press P and the parking session starts/stops is even handier then normal SMS parking where you still have to text the zone codes en license plate number

Analysis of the potential

In this final chapter the potential of IPark4U is analyzed. We consider the technological challenges, the societal relevance and finally the business opportunities and threats.

5.1

Technological challenges

Apart from the technological demonstration, IPark4U is more importantly a case of successful intercompany collaboration. The fundamental idea was to use existing technology to create a platform for quick results, with an all in one service for the users, consisting of: Real time parking info on the SATNAV device. Route guidance to a selected parking near the final destination. Payment in-car for off-street and on-street parking.

The First and main challenge is the project organization: it is not a simple thing to orchestrate collaboration between 10 different organizations and companies. In most projects these kind of collaborations end in the attempt of individual companies to push their technology, without keeping the desired final result in mind. That way the original goals are often only partially met.

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During the IPark4U project this was a point of attention from the beginning and close collaboration was realized to meet fully the desired goals. Second challenge (not to be underestimated) is the organization of exchange of company owned data. For IPark4U there were some NDAs (non disclosure agreements) to be established. Technically this is not a problem but when the legal department steps in . There were some delays in establishing the documents and getting the right signatures of the different boards of directors (who had to be informed and convinced). Third challenge: the implementation. The plan on paper is always a little simpler then during realization. Some minor unforeseen developments were to be done, but since the willingness to cooperate existed no real problems were encountered. Fourth challenge signal quality. Both GPS and GPRS have their limitations in signal reception: in covered areas like garages and under trees the exact position cannot be calculated: last known position was to be used. For GPRS the problem is smaller, only in the deeper underground parkings the signal fades, and a technical solution (Signal repeater) was possible. Other challenges: important in a potential business case for the future: privacy and security. Since the position and identity of the IPark4U user is to be known to be able to offer the service dealing with - and transparency about how this information is used and secured is necessary.

5.2

Societal relevance

In most cites a parking policy is deployed where the aim is to get the right car on the right parking spot. The measures most often used are price differentiation, creating /eliminating parking spaces, and static or dynamic parking guidance system/panels streetside. The integration of all the information of this policy into the SATNAV navigation systems is the obvious next step. In that way the policy goals are easier met and the user comfort increases. IPark4U allows to manage the information sent to users: apart from sending the dynamic parking information this will allow cities to add info like planned events, road works, local market days, : dynamic routing! So not only can the users be guided to a free parking space, but they even can be guided away from obstacles on the way there. This allows higher city amenity by less traffic jams less kilometers driven, so better air quality and less noise pollution. Travelling to an unknown city, or city area, leads to stress and anxiety. IPark4U can take that stress away (without having to prepare the trip). Relaxed drivers can focus better on the traffic situation then those in search for a parking solution. Hence higher traffic safety If (anonimized) user information is fed back to the parking operators and cities, a better image of the parking demand can be formed, to be followed by measures like price adaptations or rerouting.

5.3

Business opportunities and threats

5.3.1

IPark4U opportunities?

IPark4U is a development project from which a further commercial continuation can be started. But also some (R&D) spin-off projects are possible, some examples: Registration technology for onstreet parking, e.g. wireless sensor networks

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Automated parking differentiation: customized parking information for drivers, other information given the context of the driver (long term parking short term parking, business/holiday,) Offer maximizing measures and concepts: to include private parking spaces in the managed parking pool (e.g. banks, supermarkets, hotels hospitals, private home) Multimodality (P+R, connectivity, park & taxi, ...) as a service linked to the parking service.

Concerning the integration of private home parking space there are already some systems operational: SpotScout & SpotCast2, where SpotCasters via a website indicate where and when they have vacant space at a certain price. The SpotScouts can find afterwards the best available parking via the same website: a self-regulating free market, to be integrated in the IPark4U system.

A similar initiative was taken by Gemeentelijk Autonoom Parkeerbedrijf Antwerpen (GAPA). On their platform named Parkeermakelaar3 (parking broker), both public- as private parkings are dynamically integrated.

In the Netherlands a similar system exists, with the emphasis on private home and company parkings:

In order to create ANY viable commercial environment based on parking data, there has to exist a complete set of (reliable) information. We at VIM believe that the installation of a central and neutral organization, preferably non profit could facilitate the collection, validation and distribution of parking data: a Flemish service point for parking. Gradually this should become the collection point of all parking related data, starting with the information of public parking garages and city parking (on-street) parking information. The information can be made available to application developers of all kind (at a certain cost/license, mainly to compensate for the data creating and collection and validation costs). Next figure depicts a possible organization scheme:

2 3

http://www.spotscout.com/ http://www.parkereninantwerpen.be/parkeermakelaar/

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5.3.2

Threats for IPark4U?

When more parties are to be involved in the project, competition will get bigger. The navigation industry has an advantage since they have a direct link to the customers in their cars (with their newest connected PNDs (personal navigation devices)). On the other hand the traffic information providers also have their channels to potential users. Question is who will offer a complete (affordable) service. This is not a threat to IPark4U, but more for the already formed partnerships during the project. For IPark4U the competition can be a boost to faster technological developments.

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