Urban mobility starts with parking

More than half of the world’s population already lives in cities. And the number is increasing - by 2050 more than 2/3 will do so. Worldwide, this means that almost 200,000 people move from the countryside into the city each day. (Source: Navigant Research 2014)

The majority of people still prefer to get around per car in their daily lives. And it will still be like that for many more years. However, the better parking is embedded into the overall travel chain and part of integrated mobility offers, the more attractive it becomes for the enduser to switch to other modes of transportation - such as public transport or bicycling.

The goal is to make the parking experience as pleasant as possible. In order to adapt the service & mobility mix accordingly, it is essential to know the different user groups that park their vehicle, be it commuters, employees, residents or tourists. It is very likely that the car park of tomorrow will be a hub for a variety of mobility services that are accessible with one ticket or ID: be it P&R, car sharing, bicycle parking, bicycle rentals or charging of electric vehicles.

The adoption of modern technologies can help in achieving that goal. The support of mobile devices, for example, helps to generate valuable customer data e.g. on user behavior patterns, preferences, access data and much more. Based on profound insights, service providers can personalize their offerings and engage with the user interactively in this way. For the user, mobile devices can serve as a medium to access real-time information, pre-book and pay for services, and for the physical access to such - be it in the car park or at a destination. Why not have your parking permission on the mobile device in combination with a mobility account for rental bikes?

SKIDATA solutions and its modern system architecture allow for full integration of mobility services and partners, high operational performance and cost-effectiveness in running a single car park or multiple car parks in a network. Through the adoption of new technologies such as mobile devices, SKIDATA supports operators and service providers in differentiating themselves in their markets, retain customers and consequently increase revenue. Service providers are being given a tool to sell integrated parking & mobility services across various B2B and B2C channels and to use the full potential of the car park as a marketing platform.

SKIDATA is a global provider of comprehensive turnkey solutions for the control and management of both vehicle and people access including customer administration. With almost 10,000 installations, SKIDATA has supported the deployment of their systems in cities, at airports, train stations, shopping malls, sports stadiums, amusement parks and at ski resorts throughout the world.

Solutions around urban mobility

Park & Ride: It is no longer a dream to include parking and the single journey or season transport ticket into one. Access to the parking system can be easily connected to the travel ticket whether that ticket is based on open payment, ITSO, Calypso, Mifare, NFC to tap-in and tap-out or UHF short and long range tags for ‘hands-free’ access.

Bicycle parking: Secure bike storage is becoming increasingly important at travel hubs, e.g. inner city car parks or train stations. Allow easy access to bicycle parking - for example with the mobile phone - for a convenient onward journey.

E-mobility & car sharing: It is now possible to use travel tickets, season cards and the parking access tickets to activate a charging cycle, as well as pay for it at one payment point, in one transaction.

Storage & lockers: Depot services are becoming more and more popular. Imagine that you order products online and get them delivered to the car park while you are at work. When you return to your car at the end of the day, you can easily pick up your purchase from a storage box using your mobile phone.

Technology that drives parking & mobility service innovation

Online sales channels: Customers are able to make online reservations and pre-book parking & mobility services individually or in packages via B2B and B2C channels, e.g. Park & Bike, Park & Ride for one time usage or permanent permissions, such as for commuters.

Real-time (parking) & location-based information: Providing the right information at the right time - about availability of services in the car park, free spaces, e-charging facilities, bikes and much more. By connecting the information source to navigation systems, mobile devices and variable message signs, the user can be constantly updated during the entire travel chain.

Mobile ticketing: Electronic ticketing provides a range of advantages for service providers as well as the user. Tickets sold can be permanently updated and enriched with additional value to the end-user, e.g. with location-based vouchers such as a free rental bike when the user is downtown. E-ticketing can serve as a real revenue driver and increase the customer experience significantly.

Mobile access solution: The support of mobile applications as access device for parking and more is a user-friendly and cost-efficient way of managing mobility service offerings. Thanks to modern technologies such as Bluetooth low energy, the mobile phone serves as a multipurpose, all-in-one “ticket” to access real-time information, reserve, pay and access services.

Loyalty: The adoption of mobile device applications and the generation of user profiles also allows for the implementation of user-specific loyalty services. Users that take advantage of a balanced mobility offer in the car park can be rewarded with “points” to be spent for bike rentals or Park & Ride packages to mention just two examples. In addition, operators can send a voucher to the user at car park arrival as part of personalized on-the-spot-marking activities, e.g. a free coffee at the cafe next door. In this way, partnerships not only exist amongst mobility service providers but also with the retail and F&B of the car park surroundings.

About SKIDATA

SKIDATA Group is an international leader in the field of access solutions and their management. Almost 10,000 SKIDATA installations worldwide in ski resorts, shopping centers, major airports, municipalities, sports stadiums, trade shows, and amusement parks provide secure and reliable access and entry control for people and vehicles. SKIDATA places great value in providing solutions that are intuitive, easy to use, and secure. The integrated concepts of SKIDATA solutions help clients optimize performance and maximize profits. SKIDATA Group (www.skidata.com) belongs to the publicly traded Swiss Kudelski Group (www.nagra.com), a leading provider of digital security solutions.