Urban mobility is experiencing a time of great progress that will change the way we perceive commuting in cities. Parclick, the online parking reservation app, has analyzed the trends that will be present in the car park sector and that will mark a before and after in the way users have the experience of parking their vehicles.
Parking is one of the biggest concerns for drivers. mainly in cities where traffic or little space can be a waste of time and also a significant financial outlay, if we take into account the fuel consumed while looking for a parking space.
In this sense, from Parclick they point out that, after the pandemic, consumers seek to make the most of their time, so operators must adapt to this new need and one of the biggest trends will revolve around user experience. At this point, digitization is already proving essential, as it allows car parks to increase the volume of occupancy while providing users with an easy and fast alternative to locate parking without waiting or unnecessary searches.
The user experience, the axis of the car parks of the future
Until now, car parks have been understood simply as a place to leave the vehicle, but we can already see how the concept is evolving towards a complete experience dedicated to the user. Thus, from Parclick they point out that these spaces will change completely to turn its attention to offering all kinds of services involving comfort, experiences and possibilities that help users gain valuable time while their car is parked.
There are already extra services that car parks have begun to offer, such as car wash or maintenance services, and that they are enjoying a good rating by users. In this regard, the number of car park reservations that offer extras, in addition to the car park itself, has grown by 10% compared to pre-pandemic figures, according to a study carried out by the company.
New uses for car parks: delivery and last mile
Parclick is confident that this trend will not only continue in the coming years, but that it will transform car parks into an extension of cities that offer their own experiences. Among some of the services that indicate that it will be common to locate them in car parks, we find small individual stores, parcel collection points or purchase delivery points, and shared charging or collection points for skateboards, bicycles or motorcycles.
Also closely linked to the user experience, we will be able to see how car parks go beyond offers related to mobility and generate synergies with other business models to optimize the experience offered to the user and generate income through other activities. An example of this could be the incorporation of blind kitchens that prepare food for delivery in car parks located in the most popular delivery areas; or the creation of last-mile logistics warehouses that allow delivery times to be reduced.
Robotic car parks, a reality to exploit space in cities
Something that a few years ago could sound like a futuristic movie is becoming a reality in the evolution towards smart cities. The car parks that automate vehicle parking, In addition to making life easier for the driver, they involve taking advantage of the space that makes it possible to build cities that are more walkable and geared towards people’s lives.
Users only have to leave their vehicles at the door and, as a result, it is the car park itself that is in charge, automatically, to locate the best available site to park the vehiclewhich entails an important optimization of the space in favor of generating more available areas destined to the life of the citizens.
The outskirts of the cities, new private vehicle parking nucleus
With the limitations in urban traffic that have been occurring in recent years, more and more people who travel to large cities to work or carry out their day-to-day activities decide to park their vehicles on the outskirts. Given this trend, we find more and more car parks in the outskirts.
Thanks to this, we will be able to gradually observe a significant decongestion of traffic in central areas and a greater use of public transport. This alternative, on the one hand, provides users who live outside the big cities with a comfortable and sustainable option to get around and, on the other hand, it means a reduction in emissions and noise.
