The Latest in Parking Technology: Parking-Space Sentries

Julie Walmsley reports on a new startup called MyPark that goes a step beyond allowing users to just choose and reserve parking spots through an app. The spaces themselves are outfitted with equipment that also holds the spaces open for customers.

The idea for the service came about years ago, when the only way to claim a space was for a person to stand in it, says Walmsley. "This was back in the 1990s before smartphones could be swiped to control a pop-up rectangle just big enough to keep people from driving in, but small enough to easily fold back and flatten itself so that a parking stall's rightful renter can drive over it."

MyPark is operating in five U.S. states and Puerto Rico and has worked with large mall operators, including Westfield and the Simon Property Group. It is also starting up franchise operations in other countries.

Walmsley notes that MyPark has smart parking competitors in the United States offering remote reservation, guidance systems, and adjustable pricing. However, the built-in gatekeeping equipment distinguishes MyPark from these other operators.