Siemens monitors Berlin's streets and detects free parking spaces

For the implementation of this pilot project, which has taken place on public roads in Berlin, Siemens has installed, on a stretch of 200 Meters, radar sensors on streetlights that transmit information about the occupation of parking spaces. This network of sensors monitors from the heights a surface of up to 30 sends information to parking management software.

Siemens, in collaboration with the Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment in Berlin (SenStadtUm), VMZ Berlin Betreibergesellschaft, Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) and the Robotics Innovation Center of the German Artificial Intelligence Research Center (Dfki), have launched a pilot project capable of detecting free parking spaces in the city.

In a stretch of 200 meters and as a test, Siemens has installed radar sensors in the streetlights of Berlin's Bundesallee Avenue, who transmit information about the occupation of parking spaces.

This network of sensors monitors from the heights a surface of up to 30 Meters, which equates to about five or eight parking spaces, and sends information to parking management software.

With the data collected by the system, the traffic information center can use them for its own information services or forward them, through a data interface, app operators who allow drivers to always find free places through their smartphone, browser or on parking signs.

The app, developed by the Robotics Innovation Center of the German Artificial Intelligence Research Center uses intelligent learning methods.

Sensor data helps the system recognize typical parking space situations. Its learning ability allows the system to predict in advance when and where free places can be found most likely.

The system is associated, In addition, to a multimodal route planner. This means that, if there are no empty squares, the planner reports in real time on possible options for using public transport services.

“Our system greatly simplifies the desperate need to look for parking, as it transmits information about the vacan places to the driver before leaving”, explains Jochen Eickholt, director of Siemens Mobility Division.

The project has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection, Construction and Nuclear Safety of Germany (BMUB) and has as its main objective to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, pollutants and noises associated with road traffic.

The results of this test, which is part of the City2.e research project 2.0, will be available at 2016.

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