John, what does our vision “The Future Car Park” mean?
We are in the midst of a societal transformation where mobility is the focus. Thanks to electrification and digitalisation, new opportunities are being created for the transport of people and goods. At the same time, as more opportunities grow, there are higher demands on infrastructure. Streets and squares will be used for other purposes than parking, which is why parking garages are an important piece of the puzzle in shaping the future sustainable ecosystem of mobility solutions.
In order for parking garages to assume the role of mobility hubs of the future, the focus must shift from static locations to dynamic surfaces. This is where Mobility46 comes into play. We are driving the digitalisation of parking management forward with our SaaS platform Park46 and the vision “The Future Car Park”. But what exactly is “The Future Car Park”? We sat down with Johannes Asp, co-founder and CEO of Mobility46, to get a better picture of what the vision actually means.
What is the Future Car Park?
Already ten years ago, we identified mobility and charging as part of parking management. This means that everything has to be connected and not held separately. That insight is the foundation of The Future Car Park. In order to make the vision a reality, a system was needed that could keep everything related to parking management together and that could enable the servicing of parking spaces. Since we started, we have focused on building such a system, a Parking Management System. Today it is called Park46 and is at the heart of everything we do.
Once the garage has been digitised, the possibilities for new services on the parking space are almost endless.
-- John Asp
How to make The Future Car Park a reality?
Through technical solutions and digitizing parking spaces. It includes all aspects of hardware and software. Shell protection, cameras, charging boxes, apps, administration interfaces, digital keys, etc.
The idea is simple and everyone agrees that it should work that way. But it still means big changes with new hardware, software and new work processes. The upside, though, is huge! Increased operating net, internal efficiency and improved tenant experience.
Once the garage has been digitised, the possibilities for new services on the parking space are almost endless. Everything from offering your own services to inviting other actors to offer their services using open APIs.
What does the term come from?
When I read an English-language article about how the parking lot should be designed in the future, the idea popped up. Their way of explaining the future of parking was in line with what we were already doing with our SaaS platform. At that point, we badly needed to be able to show, in a larger perspective, what we meant by “going from static places to dynamic surfaces.” By concretizing our parking vision in “The Future Car Park”, we were able to show in a simple and good way what we meant.
What does the vision mean to you?
It means opportunities and specifically the opportunities available in the parking garages. It is a clear guide to where we as a company are going and what we want to create. It also serves as a concrete blueprint of the different ways a parking garage can be used. Both in terms of business opportunities and how the physical surfaces can be used.
Parking is a forgotten asset. It is an asset that is far behind, both in terms of technology and digitization. The discrepancy between the current situation and “The Future Car Park” is great and there is a lot to do. What enables us to make the vision a reality is technological progress. The large real estate systems are far behind here and with the needs of the future there is the need for a niche Parking Management System. It's finally time for subscription parking to enter the present!
What is the next level of The Future Car Park?
Automation and energy are two relevant themes to focus on. As cars become more self-driving, garages could become more self-regulating. Cars and garages should in the foreseeable future be able to cooperate and optimize the spaces for both vehicle parking and automatic charging.
It's not just the self-driving aspect of cars that's moving forward, it's also the propellant. With the electrification of the fleet, garages will have a completely new role: the new filling station. Can the garage also become a place for energy storage? Both by storing energy in parked cars but also dedicated hardware to store energy? Energy that might be produced directly adjacent to the property? Anything with open APIs to the other services in the property?
When we thought about “The Future Car Park” ten years ago, it felt far away. That a static parking lot could be digitized and become a mobility hub. Now we, along with our customers, are almost there. Our vision has gone from dream to reality. How long before self-driving cars, self-regulating garages and energy storage become a reality in parking garages? We don't know, but it's probably closer than we think. Less Human Intervention is an exciting formulation that brings to mind the future “The Future Car Park”.
Ready to take the next step towards The Future Car Park?
Do you want to know how to make the parking garage of the future a reality today? Get in touch and we'll show you how Park46 enables dynamic surfaces, increased profitability and new mobility services.
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