Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
If ever there was a time we needed a bowlologist, it's now.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                   

ParkExchange

Crowd Sourced Parking
  (+3)
(+3)
  [vote for,
against]

The linked article in the Times discusses iPhone users trading parking spots.

It seems the infrastructure is now in place to integrated this kind of functionality directly into car navigation devices. This would have the added advantage of integrating spot availability directly into car starts/stops, so that true space availability did not depend on human opt-in.

This would also enable a mashup parking availability of an entire metropolitan area in real-time, which would be fed right back into navigation systems.

Actually engaging the navigation to a given parking spot would help resolve the age-old "who got it first" disputes, with the spot coming off the grid as it is claimed by a near-by driver, and the time of claiming being shining proudly on the navigation display.

theircompetitor, Dec 04 2009

iphone parking spot app http://bits.blogs.n...pot/?ref=technology
[theircompetitor, Dec 04 2009]

(?) DASH, connected navigation device with API http://dash.net/
[theircompetitor, Dec 04 2009]

Include parking time or expenses in driving directions Include_20parking_2...riving_20directions
Not quite the same thing, though I mention "community feedback". [phoenix, Dec 04 2009]

Monkey Parking http://monkeyparking.strikingly.com/
[theircompetitor, Jul 27 2014]

[link]






       Surely the next step is to auction the parking spots to the highest bidder!?   

       I'm envisioning a system much like taxis have for their jobs... except with a competitive system based on open auction bids.
Jinbish, Dec 04 2009
  

       //Surely the next step is to auction the parking spots to the highest bidder!?// ~ [jinbish]   

       jinbish said it first, here, on the halfbakery. But, I'm sorry to say, EVERYTHING of value, will eventually be auctioned to the highest bidder. And with virtually instant feedback: everything. Capitalisms' Achilles heel: everything is for sale, everything has a price.   

       We're all whores: only the price is negotiable.
Wily Peyote, Dec 04 2009
  

       Yes - it's called "eBay".
8th of 7, Dec 04 2009
  

       21 Quest -- that kind of critique would apply to any digital representation of reality -- surely you've been in situations where the car navigation system is obsoleted by the actual road?   

       My contention is that using such a system would change the metaphore of parking in an urban environment. You wouldn't navigate 20 miles to get to a parking spot -- the navigation system would make that decision after arriving at the destination.   

       The entire scheme is dependent on the size of the pool. Given a large enough pool of people in the system, your concern would be as valid as that of the guy that is trying to sell a house, or the stock of IBM -- surely, there's a chance there's no buyer, depending on the liquidity of the market -- but typically, there is.
theircompetitor, Dec 05 2009
  

       My idea is a let's all in the same way that the Fax Machine or email was a let's all.   

       It's not a let's all -- I am talking about a "get parking" feature within the navigation system. This feature would get crowd-sourcing inputs. Perhaps it's not an earth shattering invention. But it's not a let's all.
theircompetitor, Dec 05 2009
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle