Smart parking
Sensors and data services that detect whether parking spaces are occupied and guide drivers to free spots, reducing search time and supporting enforcement.
Smart parking is one of the most common smart city deployments. In-ground or surface-mounted sensors detect a vehicle with magnetometers, radar or infrared and report occupancy over NB-IoT or LoRaWAN; alternatively, cameras count vehicles in a lot. The data feeds signage, navigation apps and enforcement systems, and gives planners real occupancy data instead of surveys.
The value is less traffic from drivers circling for a space and better use of existing capacity. The constraints are per-space cost, since every bay needs a sensor that lasts years in asphalt, and accuracy in difficult conditions such as snow or motorcycles. Camera-based approaches are cheaper per space but raise privacy questions. The Smart cities guide compares sensor options and business models.
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