Assignment 2: Summary on Smart Parking Systems (Draft 3)

In the webpage “IoT based Smart Parking Systems for Smart Cities”, Joshi (2020) stated that smart parking systems provide consumers with options for parking spaces. This webpage addresses technological solutions for the current demand for parking space due to increase in road users. The article discusses the pros and cons of a variety of IoT solutions such as sensors and data collection. The smart parking system is meant to aid in managing parking spaces efficiently to prevent improper parking due to the increase in road users. Using sensors to send the real-time data to the cloud, this offers the potential to create a mobile app. This allows both locals and tourists to pre-book a lot before beginning their journey, reducing wastage of fuel and time spent searching for lots. However, apps like these also present their own setbacks, namely demand and accessibility. This solution would work primarily in populated urban areas. Tourists would be required to have a working smartphone with the app installed and add their credit card information to park for the day. In these two cases, the author argues for a more efficient solution to be found.

The article is a balanced discussion looking at the potential IoT solutions available for solving one of the problems road users face today. While I agree that the solutions focus primarily in populated urban areas, the author did not manage to expand on the general smart parking system , its booking system and the development of the app.

The first area that the author failed to develop is the smart parking system. The system is mostly effective in well-developed cities due to the technological advancement and accessibility. According to the webpage “Smart Parking Guidance System” published by Changi Airport, a system has been implemented through sensors and cameras to identify the occupancy of the lots using LED lights for indication. The number of lots are also indicated outside the carpark to inform users of available parking lots for each area with the Parking Guidance System. Vehicle owners can also use the smart parking system to find their vehicles in case they forget the location where they parked. However, this gives an uncertainty to full verify if the user searching for the vehicle is the owner or just someone who has the information of the car’s plate number.

The second area that the author failed to develop on is the booking system. The system of booking beforehand allows for drivers to plan and confirm their parking space before they even arrive at their location. According to Polycarpou, Lambrinos and Protopapadakis (2013), the system has loopholes. Booking for a lot in advance would cause a rise in problems such as driver verification, utilisation of the lot is and ensuring the rightful charging of users. In Oakland California, the system has already been executed, and the real time information such as “parking availability information, schedules and traffic conditions” is easily accessible by drivers. The system also allows for them to book for their spaces ahead of time or even instantaneously. Many people agreed that this allowed for better planning especially during busy hours and when “traffic disruptions occur”.

The final area that the author failed to develop is the development of a mobile app that is meant to be as a form of convenience. According to Lin, Rivano and Le Mouel (2017), the information harvested from the parking details will only be most effective when the driver is nearby the parking area. As a form of convenience, it still reduces time spent finding for a parking space. However, the app collects and analyses data to create an algorithm to anticipate or even recommend what the user wants or needs. This then brings about the question of the user’s privacy: how much of their information will be taken and delivered to other parties for their usage. The major issue would be how hackers might be able receive this information. According to the same authors, the apps would mostly require the user to input the payment information, allowing their location to be tracked and also other personal information to be accessed, but it might not be warmly accepted by short term users such as tourists who would use it only for a few days. Thus, the ability to control the amount of information that gets bypassed would be preferred approach that users would appreciate.

In conclusion, the smart parking system has been in development since it was first introduced. Changes have been made on the problems that were addressed. Thus, this highlights that the smart parking system consist of loopholes in the smart parking system, flaws of the reservation and questions the security from the data collected.


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