Each car parking space consists of a rotating series of garages. The driver texts the registration number of the vehicle to a booking service along with times required. The mobile account is debited for the cost of the booking and a space is reserved for that period. The location, directions and a PIN are texted back and she drives to the location, opening the garage with the PIN, texted by the service, and driving in. She then gets out of the car and leaves. The garage is then rotated underground and stays there for the duration, leaving another garage above the surface - there are three garages per parking space, the other cars being stored under the road and pavement. Shortly before the booked period elapses, the car is rotated back into place and the driver can then access the car by texting the PIN again.
The actual logistics of where to park the car and how long for are dealt with by the booking system rather than the driver, so there is no need to drive around looking for a space or to wait. The registration number is read by the garage, so no-one can steal your space. The number of car parking spaces is tripled by the system. The car spends most of its time locked in a secure garage underground and the rest of its time in a garage above it, so vehicle crime is reduced. The likes of birdlime, sand and Tilia stickiness never get a chance to fall on the car (there is also a built-in car wash in some garages for an extra charge). Finally, someone can book the garage separately all night and sleep in it, so it doubles as a capsule hotel, and they can use the car wash in the morning as a power shower.
The system is paid for by road tax.-- nineteenthly, Feb 26 2009 Parking in Kyoto http://www.youtube....watch?v=LV58r-yvdW0 [placid_turmoil, Feb 26 2009] might also serve as an additional income for private garage owners in the city: they buy a remote controlled door opener, specify during which times they need the garage, and the system books the other time slots to visitors to the city.-- loonquawl, Feb 26 2009 Don't some people currently rent out their parking spaces? Yes, that sounds like it would work well, particularly on an unadopted road. However, it would add another layer of complication to the booking system since it would then need to be parcelled off to individuals.-- nineteenthly, Feb 26 2009 This is baked in japan.-- placid_turmoil, Feb 26 2009 Thanks, [placid_turmoil], i should've guessed really, shouldn't i? It goes with the capsule hotel. But, they don't do it on streets and so far as i can see, and the mobile 'phone booking, Japanese though it sounds, may not happen.
The other thing is, as it is, many garages are empty during the day. People could maybe register with an agency and rent them out for parking, though there'd have to be a reference system or something.-- nineteenthly, Feb 26 2009 random, halfbakery