A new mapping service could one day automatically help drivers find parking spots.
At the Paris Motor Show on 29 and 30 September, the mapping company HERE will show off several technologies—such as detecting road signs and monitoring traffic—aiming to improve driver safety and decision making.
One of these services, according to a press release today, could show a driver the best places to park. A UCLA downtown traffic study of major cities in 2006 found that cruising for spots accounts for up to 30 percent of traffic flow. By combining third-party data with cars onboard sensors, HERE’s service would automatically pinpoint available spots and how much each of them would cost.
The novelty here is that, at first, the data would come from forward cameras or other sensors on Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz cars. (HERE, a former NOKIA mapping company, is backed by Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.)
The platform should be available by the first half of 2017 to customers both inside and outside the automotive industry, according to HERE. The company plans to license the technology to automakers, municipalities, road authorities, smartphone makers, and app developers.
“What we are seeing today is the technology and automotive industries coming together to create services that will elevate the driving experience for billions,” Edzard Overbeek, CEO of HERE, said in the press release.
