Technology startup Parkifi seeks to use the Internet of Things to address the long-lamented problem of congestion created by drivers seeking parking.
Drivers in Denver can now use a smartphone app to locate open parking spaces with an accuracy rate that reportedly exceeds 99 percent.
Using a combination of "way-finding, data analytics and Internet of Things technologies," Parkifi equips parking spots with sensors that automatically communicate with the app via Bluetooth and radio, the Denver Post reports.
When the app launches, users can see potential parking spots in red, green and yellow based on a “confidence score” to show drivers the likelihood of finding a spot. However, press the little ParkiFi icon, and the driver is immediately navigated to the best spot.
Parkifi is partnering with the city of Denver, where it is based, to equip off-street lots with sensors. In early 2017, more features will be added, including the option to pay for parking within the app.
The Post notes that Denver has also pursued other tech-based approaches to parking and congestion, and sees possibilities for growth in that space:
By combining IoT sensors that communicate with mobile apps, operators can also collect data on how long spots stay filled, the lot’s busiest hours and returning patrons. Parking managers can use that big data to market to or reward customers and use the technology to automatically reroute drivers or change prices based on demand.
FULL STORY: ParkiFi mashes IoT and data analytics to offer better sense of where to park downtown
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