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Parking trend www.europeanparking.eu Publication of the European Parking Association | Volume 41 | no. 3-2025 INTERNATIONAL 12 EPA 2025 Conference Most Important Parking and Mobility Event 22 Interview Arrive’s Heidi Wildemann and Giuliano Caldo 44 Research Optimized Parking Prices with Artificial Intelligence AT, BE, CY, FI, FR, DE, IE, IT, LU, PT, SK, SI, ES, NL: 8.50 Euro, HR 63.75 Kuna, GB 7.50 Pound, HU 2,550 Forint, NO 74.50 NOK, PL 39.10 Zloty, SE 80 SEK, CH 15.75 CHF
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EDITORIAL Theo Thuis Dear Reader, Across Europe, September brings change — from the turning leaves to new beginnings within our Eu- ropean Parking Association (EPA). This year, five Board members are up for re-election and, after years of dedicated service, our current President, Nigel Williams, will be stepping down. Thanks to Nigel’s leadership, and with the great support of the Board and the Secretariat, headed by Tom Antonissen, EPA has solidified its strategic foundations and expanded its influence across Eu- rope. From relocating our base to Brussels, to grow- ing our corporate membership and fostering inter- nal innovation, Nigel’s tenure has been marked by real progress. He also championed technology up- take within the sector, supporting initiatives like the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS), which has become a game-changer, especially for small and medium-sized parking management compa- nies across the sector. As we look ahead, as EPA we must be attuned to the evolving needs of our members. We have to re- main agile, collaborative, and ambitious. Parking must be inclusive—designed for people, not just ve- hicles. Cross-border enforcement is vital, and the need for a standardised European Parking Card for persons with disabilities (PMR/Blue Badge) is clear. Strengthening our connection to cities and deepen- ing partnerships with both public and private stake- holders is essential to ensure parking solutions serve residents, visitors, commuters, and business- es alike. EPA is a key platform where these worlds come together, helping companies, national associ- ations, and municipalities connect with the EU insti- tutions and other Brussels-based stakeholders. The future of parking lies in electric and con- nected mobility, transforming the way we shape ur- ban spaces. This future can be seen as a triangle: energy – mobility – space. At the centre of this trian- gle is one essential principle: safety and security. Connected mobility depends on clear standards for data and communication between vehicles and parking infrastructure. While EU directives call for up to 50% of existing non-residential building parking spaces to be pre- pared for EV charging within less than two years, the affected sector itself advocates for a more realis- tic target, aligned with current and projected de- mand. At the same time, cities must scale up bicycle parking and invest in better multimodal mobility hubs—spaces that are multifunctional, sustainable, and inclusive. Working closely with cities and real estate investors, we will advance the development of these hubs through new projects and by trans- forming existing parking infrastructure. Parking infrastructure is part of the backbone of the urban mobility ecosystem. Multi-modality is key, enabling smoother integration between trans- port options. Data sharing—powered by standards like APDS—is central. Car parks are evolving into hubs of connection, innovation, and shared mobili- ty. Urban space is being reshaped. As cities strive for liveability and accessibility, we must manage not only vehicles but also urban logistics, public trans- port interfaces, and charging for all vehicle types. The theme of safety and security, in a geopolitical context, is linked to the threat of potential conflict. One aspect of military preparedness is the multi- functional use of underground car parks, which can also serve as shelters for people and contribute to military mobility. Parking infrastructure must there- fore offer robust physical and digital security. Whether facing cyber threats or geopolitical ten- sions, secure parking and mobility systems are es- sential. To the outside world, it may be surprising just how dynamic and committed the parking manage- ment sector truly is. While 90% of infrastructure has already been built in the Northwest of Europe, East- ern and Southern Europe are looking for new, more integrated urban developments. Parking at airports and railways will also be part of these integrated mobility hubs. The focus now is on transformation: unlocking its potential through digitisation, acces- sibility, and partnership. The European Parking Association is both a gate- way to the European Union and a hub for cross- border collaboration. By learning from each other, we can continue to innovate and elevate our sector. And through clear, consistent communication, we move forward together. That’s why events organ- ised by EPA, like our internal working groups, the European Parking Conference & Exhibition, and the European Parking Awards, matter—they offer a unique opportunity to meet our peers, exchange ideas, and celebrate the forward-thinking solutions created by parking management professionals across Europe. See you in Brussels on 16-18 September! Theo Thuis Managing Director Innovation Q-Park (EPA Platinum Member) EPA Scientific Committee Chair Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 3
CONTENTS Business News Lead Story 6–11 Best Practice Fondation des Parkings: Cross-Border Mobility – P+R Service in Ferney-Voltaire List Sponsorship Award 2026: New Ideas for Urban Transport and Parking 21st European Parking Conference & Exhibition: The Most Important European Parking and Mobility Event 12 2025 Conference Program Overview 16 Conference Highlights: Key Notes – Plenary Sessions 18 Interparking Polska: Microhub Opens in Wrocław’s City Centre Conference Highlights: Sponsored Workshops Conference Venue: The EGG, Brussels 19 21 Urbiotica: How to Improve Parking Management for People with Reduced Mobility Innovative Products BISS: First pay-on-exit parking in Latvia Electra / Spark Alliance: Europe’s Largest Fast-Charging Network in One App Arivo: New Generation of Parking Hardware 24 24 26 28 Background UK Government: £63 Million Boost for Britain’s Electric Vehicle Revolution Survision: Front Reading vs. Rear Reading in License Plate Recognition and Vehicle Identification Introducing Interview with Arrive’s Heidi Wildemann, Giuliano Caldo: “Our aspiration is to simplify people’s lives” 22 EPA News “Proud Member of EPA”: Corporate Members – Join Us! List: Corporate Members of EPA Exhibition Floorplan: 21st European Parking Conference & Exhibition New Corporate Member Portraits 12 30 31 31 32 34 35 36 37 40 4 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
CONTENTS G G E e h T , A P E : c i h p a r g & o t o h p e l t i T Opcharge: Rethinking Destination Charging – Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better 42 Fraunhofer IAO, QUINTA Consulting: Optimized Parking Prices Thanks to Artificial Intelligence – A Look Behind the Scenes of an International Research Project 44 International Solutions CAME Parkare: Parking Solutions for Different Target Groups Nordisk Profil: Danish Car Park with Stylish Aluminium Façade Hectronic: Scan Car for Parking Operations Hectronic: Expanding Payment Options for Lisbon Scheidt & Bachmann Parking Solutions: PBW Goes Live with Cloud-Based Parking System Astron Buildings: Eco-Designed Car Park Monit Data: Dutch City of Tilburg Extends Services for Car and Bicycle Parking Prospects Calendar: International Parking Events Imprint 46 46 47 47 48 48 49 50 50 36 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 5
BUSINESS NEWS EasyPark Group Unifies Under ‘Arrive’ E asyPark Group, leading provider of digital parking and mobility solutions, unveiled a new name and identity to better align with the company’s vision to make cities more liveable. Arrive, the new company name, will replace EasyPark Group and Flowbird Group, and will be the overarching parent company for the consumer brands EasyPark, Flowbird, ParkMobile, Parkopedia, RingGo, Yellowbrick, Your Parking Space and other brands within the organization. “I’m very excited to be able to celebrate the reveal of our compa- ny’s new name and brand Arrive,” said Cameron Clayton, CEO of Ar- rive. “Our exponential growth over the past 12 months, especially with the integration of Flowbird and Parkopedia, has dramatically expanded our scope of business and product offerings. We need a corporate structure and identity that mirrors our entire portfolio – moving beyond just parking.” “Arrive’s vision of making cities more liveable is an inherited testa- ment to the work EasyPark Group, Flowbird Group, and Parkopedia achieved individually over the last 20 years,” said Clayton. “We are build- ing the world’s leading global mobility platform. We can’t do it alone, we can only do it together with cities, with riders and with drivers.” The consumer brands and mobile apps, such as EasyPark, Ring- Go, ParkMobile, and Flowbird, will remain unaffected for the foresee- able future. According to the company, Arrive, including brands like EasyPark, Flowbird, RingGo, ParkMobile and Parkopedia, is present in over 90 countries and 20,000 cities worldwide. ■ EasyPark, Flowbird, Parkopedia, RingGo, and ParkMobile revealed its new corporate parent company and brand “Arrive”. e v i r r A © Smart Parking Expands into Switzerland T he publicly traded Smart Parking Group announces the founding of Smart Parking AG. With this expansion into Switzerland, the group aims to strengthen the company's market position in Europe. Additional subsidiaries already exist in the United Kingdom, Den- mark, and Germany. Smart Parking has been offering parking management solutions for 30 years. Today, these include sensor technology, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), mobile apps, and cloud systems for optimizing parking space utilization. “Our vision is to make parking stress-free, time-saving, and re- source-efficient,” explains Rainer Artelt, Managing Director of Smart Parking AG in Zug. “With our solutions, we not only want to improve the everyday lives of drivers in Switzerland, but also offer parking lot owners the technologies they need to perfect their valuable parking space.” Paul Gillespie, CEO of the Smart Parking Group, adds: “We have a strong focus on sustainable, long-term growth. Therefore, we are confident that by establishing an independent branch in Switzer- land, we can further expand our position in the industry and maxim- ise our growth potential. In doing so, we fully address the specific, local needs in Switzerland.” Smart Parking is launching in Switzerland with a team from the areas of sales, service, data research, parking space planning, sustainability, and marketing. The company works closely with industries such as retail, hotels, hospitality, tourism, leisure, medical facilities, real estate, airports and train stations, and plans to implement a large number of pro- jects in Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Lausanne. ■ 6 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 i g n k r a P t r a m S ©
BUSINESS NEWS WPS Wins Contract in Spelthorne Borough Council W PS UK has signed a new contract with Spelthorne Borough Council to imple- ment its latest ParkAdvance+ parking tech- nology. The project involves the moderniza- tion of two car parks in Staines-upon- Thames: an above-ground car park and a multi-story car park with a total capacity of around 900 parking spaces. Both facilities are directly connected to the Elmsleigh Shopping Centre, a major shopping centre in the region with over 50 stores. WPS considers this contract a strategic milestone in its commitment to providing future-proof, sustainable parking solutions. The new facility replaces the previous sys- tem with a ticketless, paperless concept based on automatic number plate recogni- tion, offering users a smoother and more convenient parking experience. In addition, the system is integrated into the district- S P W © Ticketless and paperless parking solution for the customers of the Elmsleigh Shopping Centre wide Variable Message System (VMS) to guide drivers to available parking spaces in real time. The new solution was selected following a tender process. The project includes a five- year contract for service and cloud hosting with the option to expand to other Spelt- horne-managed locations in the future. ■ Simple Fast Charging by Credit Card in Freiburg C harging infrastructure provider Charge- Point is offering its direct payment solu- tion at another location. In the southwest German city of Freiburg, EV drivers can expe- rience seamless fast charging: no app, no registration, simply insert a credit or debit card and charge. This service is made possi- ble by the OCPI-based integration between ChargePoint's be.ENERGISED platform and CCV Cloud Connect. Two connections, each with a fast charging capacity of up to 150 kW, are available on-site and are operated by the energy provider badenova. According to the provider, the expansion of additional charging stations in the region is already planned. ChargePoint aims to further expand such interoperable, user-friendly charging net- works for electric vehicles across Europe together with its be.ENERGISED customers ■ and its partner CCV. Seamless fast charging with regenerative power in Freiburg i t n o P e g r a h C © Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 7 The Citea Evolution continues – now even faster and more intuitive! One of the largest touch displays on the market for maximum user- friendliness Highest level of vandalism protecti- on thanks to IK10 impact resistance VdS-certified technology in all versions up to protection class P4 Quality „Made in Germany“ Minimal boot times – for significant cost savings in the field Comprehensive, user-friendly cloud software with absolute tariff control Cost-effective card payment pro- cessing by supporting national card systems Do not hesitate to contact us: Hectronic GmbH | Allmendstrasse 15 D-79848 Bonndorf | Tel. +49 7703 9388-0 mail@hectronic.com www.hectronic.com
BUSINESS NEWS The Bavaria Parkgaragen portfolio also includes the Hofbräuhaus parking garage under Munich’s Altstadtring. H b m G R E U A B + R H Ö W © Q-Park acquires Bavaria Parkgaragen F ollowing Q-Park’s acquisition of the Ger- man parking provider ParkOne in April, the company announced at the beginning of July that it had also acquired Bavaria Park- garagen this summer. This further expands Q-Park’s market position in Germany. The acquisition enables Q-Park to benefit from the attractive city center locations of Bavaria Parkgaragen in Munich and other lo- cations in Bavaria and Berlin. According to their own statements, the two companies want to further expand their commitment to sustainable mobility solutions and seamless parking services. According to Q-Park, this includes the design of mobility hubs, includ- ing charging stations for electric vehicles, the reduction of traffic searching for parking spaces through digital services, and the preservation of liveable, economically dy- namic, and easily accessible cities. Frank De Moor, CEO of Q-Park, says: “The acquisition of Bavaria Parkgaragen under- scores our clear growth course in Germany.” Frank Meyer, Managing Director of Q-Park Germany, adds: “We are delighted to wel- come the experienced team at Bavaria Park- garagen to the Q-Park family. This acquisition not only strengthens our market presence in Munich and Bavaria, but also brings our suc- cessful digital services, such as the Q-Park app and the option to book and reserve park- ing spaces, to these important markets.” According to its own information, Q-Park Germany is the third-largest private parking operator in Germany. The company owns, operates, or manages 169 parking facilities with a total of over 66,000 parking spaces in more than 50 cities, including Berlin, Darm- stadt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Leipzig, and Saarbrücken. Bavaria Parkgaragen is reportedly the twelfth-largest parking operator and the sev- enth-largest owner-operated parking man- agement company in Germany. The compa- ny operates 26 parking facilities with over 12,000 parking spaces and 174 charging sta- tions for electric vehicles, primarily in Mu- nich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, and other German cities. New partnership between Q-Park and PayByPhone With the launch of a new partnership in July, parking operator Q-Park is enabling all users of the PayByPhone app to park in over 100 Q- Park car parks throughout Germany. Q-Park facilities have been equipped with an auto- matic license plate recognition system for some time, which enables third-party provid- ers such as PayByPhone to connect directly to Q-Park’s parking technology. PayByPhone us- ers are identified via camera-based license plate recognition at the entrance and exit barriers of the parking facilities. Roman Rohrberg, Head of Sales & Market- ing at Q-Park Operations Germany GmbH & Co. KG: “I am particularly pleased that we have another strong partner in PayByPhone to make the parking experience even more convenient and stress-free for customers. Together, we are increasing the appeal of off- street parking and thus making an important contribution to reducing congestion in our city centres.” Marilena Lichtenauer, Director of Client Account Management at PayByPhone Deutschland GmbH, says of the partnership: “We are delighted to be partnering with Q- Park and to be working together to bring an- other piece of smart mobility into people’s everyday lives. Our goal is to make parking as easy and seamless as possible, thereby making an active contribution to the digitali- zation of urban mobility.” ■ 8 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
BUSINESS NEWS P eople in Parking Giuliano Caldo EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW From page 22, you can read a detailed interview with Heidi Wildemann and Giuliano Caldo. Heidi Wildemann Giuliano Caldo has been appointed Re- gional Director of Arrive, the global mobili- ty company born from the evolution of the EasyPark Group. In this role, Caldo is respon- sible for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), and Italy, while also returning to head up the Italian market as Country Di- rector. Giuliano Caldo had already led Easy- Park in Italy from 2019 to April 2023 and subsequently held the position of Regional Director South & Central Europe for Easy- Park Group. APCOA appointed Jörg Ulrich (48) as Chief Growth Officer (CGO). In this new position Jörg follows Frank van der Sant, who has left the organization in May and as such he will be responsible for leveraging the existing sales capabilities, the portfolio management and the analytical tools to further strength- en the company’s market position and to unlock new revenue streams. Jörg has been with APCOA since 2014, holding several sen- ior leadership positions, most recently serv- ing as Group Director Strategic Sales and Alli- ances. Silvana Filipponi, who has held the position of Country Director for Italy since April 2023, will take over responsibility for the group’s global payment strategy. Arrive Germany has appointed Heidi Wil- demann as its new Managing Director for the German market. Wildemann takes over from Nico Schlegel, who has successfully helped shape the company for almost ten years. Heidi Wildemann brings expertise in digital transformation and mobility services. As Managing Director of ParkNow Germany and Austria, she successfully led the sales, marketing, and customer operations depart- ments. Other highlights of her career include senior positions at Berlin Brands Group in e- commerce and as interim COO at GetCouped Technologies. After more than 20 years at APCOA and his significant contribution to the growth of the company, Stefan Sadleder has decided to break new ground at the end of October. As of 1 July, Caroline Aichholzer has already been appointed as the new Managing Direc- tor of the APCOA companies in Austria. She has been part of the company for six years, during which time she has been re- sponsible for central strategic and opera- tional functions. Demonstrating compe- tence, commitment and a clear vision, Caro- line is now taking on a key role in APCOA Austria’s ongoing development. This is a sig- nificant step for an industry that is still con- sidered male-dominated in many places, as Caroline is the first woman to take the helm at APCOA Austria, also a committment to change and diversity. ■ Jörg Ulrich Caroline Aichholzer Stefan Sadleder The Original. For more information on our multi-storey car parks visit goldbeck.co.uk y h p a r g o t o h P t n a C t t a M : t h g i r y p o C
CCV Partners with Scheidt & Bachmann in the UK I n mid-June, CCV, a payment solutions pro- BUSINESS NEWS vider operating in the Netherlands, Bel- gium and Germany, announced a new part- nership with Scheidt & Bachmann for the UK e-mobility market. Under the terms of the agreement, Scheidt & Bachmann’s SIQMA PowerPay will be integrated with CCV pay- ment terminals to create a payment kiosk that is safe, convenient and intuitive for driv- ers to use. According to CCV, the solution is fully compliant with AFIR and UK PCPR for ad-hoc payments. At the beginning of Q2, Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, acquired n n a m h c a B & t d e h c S © i CCV. “The addition of CCV enables Fiserv to accelerate the deployment of our Clover platform and operating system, providing enhanced capabilities and innovation to our clients across Europe,” said Katia Karpova, Fiserv's Head of the EMEA region. “We have a deep appreciation and admiration for the reputation that CCV has built up over its 67-year history and for the impact that the company has on its stakeholders.” ■ CCV payment terminals are to be installed in Scheidt & Bachmann’s SIQMA PowerPay. while delivering a smooth and flexible charg- ing experience for our customers. Planet pro- vides exactly that – an efficient, scalable, and seamless solution. Their support has been in- valuable as we expand across Europe.” Aleksander Leicht, SVP Developing Mar- kets, Planet: “At Planet, our goal is to make payments as seamless as possible for busi- nesses and their customers. Working with InstaVolt has been a fantastic opportunity to bring innovative payment solutions to the EV ■ charging sector.” Planet joins forces with InstaVolt P lanet, a global provider of integrated payments and technology solutions, has announced a collaboration with InstaVolt to enhance the payment experience for EV driv- ers by delivering seamless, secure, and flexi- ble payment solutions at InstaVolt’s charg- ing stations across Europe. Already established as the UK’s largest ul- tra-rapid charging network, InstaVolt has ex- panded into Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Ice- land. By leveraging Planet’s advanced pay- ments technology, InstaVolt wants to ensure a streamlined, reliable, and scalable payment experience for its customers. InstaVolt select- ed Planet for its ability to facilitate seamless payments and support multi-currency trans- actions while integrating with RFID and card payment processes. Planet’s technology pow- ers both in-person and in-app transactions in EV charging environments, ensuring an intui- tive and hassle-free process for drivers. Gary Kirkland, Chief Technology Officer, InstaVolt: “We wanted to work with someone who could simplify our payment operations t e n a l P © 10 InstaVolt selected Planet to offer smooth and seamless charging services. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
APCOA to Manage Parking at Utilita Arena Birmingham F ollowing a competitive bid process, AP- COA has been awarded the contract to manage parking activities at Utilita Arena Birmingham. The contract, with a term of up to ten years, encompasses management of over 2,000 car parking spaces across three separate car parks with pre-booking and on- the-day parking both available. All three car parks are operated using Parkway ANPR technology, a barrierless solution that aims to minimise queues and reduce emissions. Utilita Arena Birmingham has a reputa- tion for hosting a broad range of events and is easily accessible in the heart of the coun- BUSINESS NEWS try. From household names in music and comedy to sporting events and conferences, the arena draws in more than 700,000 visi- tors from all over the world every year. With nearly 9,000 parking transactions at pay- ment machines or using APCOA ScanPay in the first week of the contract alone, Utilita Arena Birmingham is busier than ever and customers wanting to pre-book their parking in advance can do so online. Kim Challis, APCOA Regional Managing Director UK&I: “We are delighted to be work- ing in partnership with the NEC Group at this exciting venue, using our extensive experi- ence in the leisure sector to ensure that cus- tomer parking is a seamless element of the whole customer experience.” Jen Mitchell, NEC Group Arenas Managing Director said: “We’re pleased to be partner- ing with APCOA to enhance the parking ex- perience at Utilita Arena Birmingham. We’re confident visitors will enjoy a more positive parking experience as a result of the partner- ship.” ■ A O C P A © Visitors are to expect a positive parking experience at Utilita Arena Birmingham. EU Approves Interparking’s Acquisition of Saba I nterparking’s acquisition of Saba has been manage nearly 800,000 parking spaces and around 8,000 electric vehicle charging sta- approved by the European Commission, with Italy still pending a ruling from the na- tional competition authority. tions in 16 countries. The Interparking and Saba brands will both be retained. ■ AG Insurance, Interparking’s majority shareholder, announced last October that it would acquire Saba. This acquisition would effectively double Interparking’s size, bring- ing its total to over 2,000 car parks. Howev- er, the transaction was subject to approval by the European Commission, which has now been granted. According to EU compe- tition authorities, the acquisition has only a limited impact on competition within the sector. Founded in 1966, Saba operates car parks in nine countries across Europe and Latin America. These will be integrated into Inter- parking, which, following the transaction, will The acquisition of Saba effectively doubles Interparking’s size, bringing its total to over 2,000 car parks. i g n k r a p r e t n I © Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 11
LEAD STORY As was the case in 2022, when more than 500 parking and mobility experts from over 30 countries attended the 20th EPA Congress & Exhibition in Brussels, this year’s event will once again confirm the importance of this major event. Here are a few snapshots from three years ago. 21st European Parking Conference & Exhibition Europe’s Most Important Parking and Mobility Event Organized by the European Parking Association (EPA) from its new base in Brussels, the 21st European Parking Conference & Exhibition is the next edition of the sector’s flagship biennial event. T he conference and exhibition are dedicated to showcasing innovation in smart parking management and how this innovation will help shape the fu- ture of sustainable urban mobility across Europe and beyond. Policymakers, industry experts and public authorities will tackle pressing issues such as electromobility and its impact on parking – both on and off- street; kerbside management and urban lo- gistics; and digitalization and data sharing as mandated by EU legislation and required commercially to ensure digital visibility. In line with the theme “Reshaping Urban Space – Delivering sustainable parking manage- ment and mobility solutions”, the confer- ence will focus on major societal challenges such as the twin green and digital transitions 12 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
LEAD STORY Winners of the prestigious EPA Awards 2022. Find out all about this year’s competition in the attached “Special Edition – European Parking Awards 2025”. at the urban level and applicable Environ- mental, Social and Governance (ESG) princi- ples. In addition to intense knowledge shar- ing, the Conference & Exhibition will allow industry players, both established ones and new entrants, to display their products and services with booths and sponsored info ses- sions. Interactive Format This 21st edition will feature an interactive format with a focus on discussion and par- ticipation. In addition to plenary sessions in the auditorium, workshops and breakout sessions will provide a dynamic platform for A P E ) s o t o h p l l a ( © the sector to dive deeper into the selected top- ics, fostering collaboration and solution- driven dialogue. The Conference & Exhibi- tion will showcase EPA’s own activities, initi- atives and publications and offer delegates and exhibitors a multiplicity of high quality networking opportunities. EPA’s New YouTube Channel EPA is excited to launch its official YouTube channel — and to kick things off, the associa- tion released a brand-new teaser video cre- ated by their talented new videographer Ayse Isken. This dynamic short film introduces the key themes of the upcoming EPA Conference and offers a preview of what’s in store. The EPA YouTube channel is your new hub for insights, interviews, and essential moments from the European Parking Association. Videos that were posted so far include messages from Roland Cracco, CEO of Inter- parking, Sébastien Fraisse, President of the Executive Board of INDIGO Group, Nicola Veratelli, CEO APCOA, Frank De Moor, CEO of Q-Park International, and Martin Bemba, Managing Director of Parking Solutions at Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH. EPA YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@European- ParkingAssociation EPA Conference teaser video: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=aJFIOfg8uEU Fireside Chats As EPA looks ahead to a fantastic 21st Euro- pean Parking Conference & Exhibition, the association decided to host online fireside chats with Yasmin Jefferies, EPA Member- ship Development & Social Media Manager. In the first of these sessions prominent voic- es from EPA explain the conference’s theme ‘Reshaping Urban Space’, and discuss why ➜ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 13
LEAD STORY ➜ this is a must-attend event. Here, you can read the transcriptions of these short inter- views with • Theo Thuis, Chair of the EPA Scientific Committee, • Philip De Brabanter, Chair of the Conference Executive Committee, and • Laurence A. Bannerman, President Emeritus. ■ The EPA Conference & Exhibition provides lots of opportunities for interaction and discussion. Conference Interview – Laurence A. Bannerman Yasmin: Welcome to another of our short interviews focused on our upcoming conference. Joining me today is Laurence Bannerman, former EPA president and member of the confer- ence executive committee. Laurence: Nice to see you. Thanks for inviting me and really hap- py to share some thoughts with you. Yasmin: Well, my question for you today, Laurence, is this: What sort of details are the CEC (Conference Executive Com- mittee) looking at to be sure we will be offering the best con- ference experience for both delegates and exhibitors at this year’s event? Laurence: Well, nice question, Yasmin. In 1983, EPA held its first congress in Madrid. In 2011 for the 15th EPA Congress, a new for- mat was introduced. We are talking today about the 21st edition of the EPA parking and mobility event. For this conference, the CEC has renewed again the format to keep abreast of the times, responding to the need for more dynamic participation by ensur- ing a wider range of specialized themes to dive into and many networking opportunities for exhibitors and delegates. How? Maintain- ing Brussels as the central European location and nearness to the European institutions, selecting a location with a great layout that stimulates interaction and full immersion for plenary sessions, workshops, meeting rooms, exhibition areas, catering and social events; reducing the event to two days to optimize travel costs; lowering the price of delegate fees to enable a wider participation; opening up the EPA event to our mobility and technological part- ners. The EPA has a track record of participants coming from over 30 different countries, and we aim to confirm the 21st EPA Confer- ence as the most important European parking and mobility event. Yasmin: All sounding excellent indeed. And we can’t wait to see you all then and of course experience all that excellence. 14 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
LEAD STORY Conference Interview – Theo Thuis Yasmin: As part of our preparations for the 21st Euro- pean Parking Conference and Exhibition, we’re going to be sharing brief interviews with conference speak- ers as well as members of all the teams tasked with creating the events program. Joining me today on the first session of the series is Theo Thuis who chairs EPA’s scientific committee. Thank you for joining me today. Theo, I wonder if you could tell us a little bit about what’s the theme of the conference and why that theme was chosen. What delegates and exhibitors can look forward to and why they absolutely shouldn’t miss the event. Theo: Okay, thank you very much for inviting me, Yas- min, for today. So, the title and the theme of the confer- ence is ‘reshaping urban space’. That’s the central theme and as we know cities are growing. There are more peo- ple in cities, more mobility but the same amount of space. The space is not expanding. That’s really a very challenging situation because cities they want to use their public space in a multifunctional and more green way, especially in inner cities. So that gives us an enor- mous challenge and changes in urban transport. It builds another role for electric vehicles. It will be more multi- modal and the electric car will be one of the crucial modes of transport in combination with public transport and active travel. Now we see a lot of differences be- tween big cities, medium sized cities and small cities. The parking industry is delivering and contributing to more lively and accessible growing cities by using the ex- isting parking infrastructure more efficiently. So, that’s the key thing about reshaping urban space: Cities are growing and we have an existing parking infrastructure which we should use in a multifunctional and in a multi- modal way more efficiently. That’s the whole idea behind the theme and the conference. Yasmin: Great. Thank you. In terms of what exhibitors and dele- gates can look forward to and why nobody should miss the event, what would you say? Theo: That’s an exciting question, of course. Parking is hitting all aspects in cities, in big hospitals, airports, shopping centres and so on. For example, in the cities we are talking about reorganizing the curbside where logis- tic companies have new challenges and certain window times when they are able to deliver their goods to the shops. Cities are introducing digital zones. We have to be connected with those digital platforms. The charging in- frastructure, energy companies, OEMs who want to have a relationship with the EV infrastructure which we are of- fering in car parks and mobility hubs. The whole OEM sector is very interested to get more steps forward in au- tomated valet parking, connected mobility and remote ride hailing. All those new developments make multimo- dality more attractive. They would like to get the connec- tivity with the parking infrastructure and we do that in a digital way. We’re working on standardized data. The companies who are working on data standards are very much invited, and are looking forward to how we can all make this happen – ultimately for the customer, who will use the data in a very efficient and seamless way. Yasmin: Thank you very much for your time today, Theo. And indeed, thank you for all the work the committee is putting into delivering such a fantastic program. Conference Interview – Philip De Brabanter Yasmin: So my question for you today Philipe is what do we hope to achieve in putting on this conference? Philip: We hope to achieve two important topics. The first one is for the European parking association, the positioning of EPA as an im- portant stakeholder within the EU mobility ecosystem and towards the EU institutions. To grow and diversify EPA’s membership such as EV charge point providers, airports, OEMS, new mobility service providers, etc. A second thing, also very important for the parking sector is to strengthen the perception and image of parking as an enabler of sustainable urban mobility. Ad- vance key policy files such as EV charging, cross-border enforcements, parking data shar- ing, etc. Disseminate international best prac- tices, celebrate the successes and innovations of the parking sector, and support the networking and business development goals from the parking sector. Yasmin: So much to look forward to. With all of that, it can only be a success. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 15
LEAD STORY Conference Program The program will be regularly updated to reflect new speakers and confirmed session details as they join the line-up. Find the most recent program also here: www.epaconference.eu/program/ ● Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Sponsors and Exhibitors Only Exhibition set-up Exhibition Areas 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Networking Welcome Reception Room Restaurant The Conference will feature 4 different types of interactive parallel sessions/workshops: • Policy Sessions with a high-level/policy focus on topics such as: Ur- ban Mobility, Electromobility, Curbside management, Digitalisation, AI-based parking, Multimodality – Mobility Hubs, Sustainability, etc. • Partner Workshops on similar relevant topics and trends, incl. those organized by EPA partners such as POLIS, ALICE, NMS-CIVITAS, MaaS Alliance, ERTICO etc. • EPA WG Workshops presenting the results achieved by EPA’s internal Working Groups: Digitalisation & Data, EVs & Fire Safety, Enforcement, and more. • Sponsored Workshops showcasing presentations and solutions by Sponsors of the EPA Conference. ● Wednesday, September 17, 2025 8:30 AM - 10:00 PM Explore and Exchange Discover our Exhibitors Exhibition Areas 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Networking Welcome Coffee Exhibition Areas 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Policy 1.1 Reshaping Urban Space Part 1 – Parking Policy & Management in the Context of Urban Mobility & SUMPs (Policy Session) Room Auditorium Partner 1.2 New Mobility Services (NMS) and Parking (Partner Workshop by CIVITAS-NMS) Room Cinema EPA 1.3 Electric Vehicles & Fire Safety (EPA WG workshop) Room Riverside 6 Sponsor 1.4 Cybersecurity in Parking (Sponsored Workshop by Q-Park) Room Studio Sponsor 1.5 Multifunctional Use of Parking Spaces as Urban Logistics Micro Hubs (Sponsored Workshop by APCOA) Room Aquarium Sponsor 1.6 Sponsored Workshop (TBC) Room Riverside 1 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Networking Coffee Break Exhibition Areas 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Plenary Opening Plenary Session Room Auditorium 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Networking Lunch Break Exhibition Areas 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Policy 2.1 Reshaping Urban Space Part 2 – Parking Policy & Management in the Context of Urban Logistics & SULPs (Policy Session) Room Aquarium Policy 2.2 The Future of Sustainable Shared Mobility (Policy Session) Room Riverside 6 EPA 2.3 Digitalisation & Data (EPA WG workshop) Room Riverside 1 Sponsor 2.4 Resilience & Military Preparedness (Sponsored Workshop by Interparking Group) Room Studio Sponsor 2.5 Ready to Make Your City More Liveable? Here’s How (Sponsored Workshop by Arrive ex-EasyPark) Room Cinema 16 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Networking 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Coffee Break (Sponsored by Bundesverband Parken e.V.) Exhibition Areas Plenary European Parking Awards Ceremony Room Auditorium 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Networking Networking Reception Exhibition Areas 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Networking Walking Dinner Exhibition Areas ● Thursday, September 18, 2025 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Networking Welcome Coffee Exhibition Areas 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Explore and Exchange Discover our Exhibitors Exhibition Areas 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Policy 3.1 EVs & Parking: Behavior, Challenges and Solutions (Policy Session) Room Auditorium Partner 3.2 Curbside Management – EU funded DISCO Project: Innovative Solutions to Reshape Urban Space (Partner Workshop by DISCO) Room Riverside 6 EPA 3.3 European Women in Parking (EPA initiative launch, sponsored by Automatic Systems & Autopay) Room Riverside 1 Sponsor 3.4 Rethinking Infrastructures to Accommodate New Local Urban Services (Sponsored Workshop by INDIGO) Room Studio Sponsor 3.5 Together towards an open urban mobility ecosystem (Sponsored Workshop by SKIDATA) Room Aquarium LEAD STORY Sponsor 3.6 AI in Parking and Mobility (Sponsored Workshop by Quinta Consulting) Room Cinema 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Networking Coffee Break Exhibition Areas 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Policy 4.1 European Mobility Data Space – Opportunities for Parking (Policy Session) Room Auditorium Partner 4.2 Paving the Way for Automated Valet Parking: Driving Market Adoption through Collaboration (Partner Workshop with EAVP) Room Aquarium Partner 4.3 POLIS joint Parking/Clean Vehicles & Air Quality Working Group (Partner Workshop by POLIS) – How to Synergize EV Charging and Parking Strategies? Room Studio EPA 4.4 Cross-Border Enforcement of Parking Infringements (EPA WG Workshop) Room Riverside 1 Sponsor 4.5 The Original Free flow–A barrierless access is the tip of the iceberg of Autopay’s fully digitalised parking management system (Sponsored Workshop by Autopay) Room Cinema Sponsor 4.6 Mastering EV Charging in Parking: from strategy to execution (Sponsored Workshop by Greenflux) Room Riverside 6 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Networking Lunch Break Exhibition Areas 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Plenary Closing Plenary Session Room Auditorium 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM EPA Members Only EPA General Assembly (EPA members only) Room Restaurant Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 17
LEAD STORY Conference Highlights Key Notes – Plenary Sessions ● Opening Plenary Session Wednesday, September 17, 2025 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CEST) Room Auditorium • Opening by Nigel Williams, EPA President • Keynote speech by the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Trans- port & Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas (invited) • Keynote speech by Minister Theo Francken, Belgian Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade on “The dual use of infrastructures and more specifically of car parks” (pending final confirmation) Opening statements and panel debate with: • Paola Cossu, CEO FIT Consulting, Board of Directors ALICE • Dr. Giuliano Mingardo, Deputy Director Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam • Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General, POLIS • Joost Vantomme, CEO, ERTICO – ITS Europe • Moderated by Tom Antonissen, EPA Executive Director & Theo Thuis, EPA Scientific Committee Chair winners across eight categories will be revealed live on stage, fol- lowed by a tribute to Professor Donald Shoup, book presentation ‘The Shoup Doctrine – Essays Celebrating Donald Shoup and Parking Reforms’ by Professor Daniel B. Hess, PhD, School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Following the Awards Ceremony, a Networking Reception and Walking Dinner will be held in the exhibition areas, allowing all final- ists to showcase their projects to the Conference delegates. Join us to celebrate the people driving change in our industry—it’s set to be one of the most inspiring highlights of the conference! And to help you prepare, we’ve created a Special Edition of Park- ing Trend International, showcasing all 54 entries using the submit- ted texts and visuals. It offers a rich snapshot of the creativity, tech- nology, and innovation shaping the parking sector today—and might even help you decide who you think should take home the award in each category. Speakers • Tom Antonissen, European Parking Association (EPA aisbl) • Stefan Sadleder, Vice President EPA / APCOA Austria GmbH • Laurence A. Bannerman, President Emeritus EPA / AIPARK • Daniel Hess, University at Buffalo, State University of New York ● European Parking Awards Ceremony Wednesday, September 17, 2025 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (CEST) Room Auditorium Get ready for an unforgettable moment celebrating the very best in European parking! The European Parking Awards shine a spotlight on excellence, innovation, and impact across our industry. Often dubbed “the Oscars of the Parking World,” this prestigious event rec- ognises the standout projects, companies, and teams who are rede- fining our industry. From an impressive 54 entries, our expert Pre-Selection Commit- tee chose 24 outstanding finalists. During the ceremony, the jury’s ● Closing Plenary Session Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (CEST) Room Auditorium • Keynote speech by Eurocities Presidency (invited) Closing statements by: • Tom Antonissen, EPA Executive Director • Dr. Giuliano Mingardo, Main Rapporteur • Theo Thuis, EPA Scientific Committee Chair 18 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
LEAD STORY Conference Highlights Sponsored Workshops ● 1.4 Cybersecurity in Parking (Sponsored Workshop by Q-Park) Wednesday, September 17, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CEST) Room Studio Cybersecurity in the parking industry is becoming increasingly im- portant as digital payment systems, automated parking solutions, and data-driven technologies become more widespread. Some of the key aspects that will be discussed: • Data Security & Privacy embedded in the collection of sensitive in- formation by parking facilities • Threat Detection with AI helping parking operators respond proactively • Cloud Storage & Security of parking systems • Cyber-Risks in Mobile Parking Apps • User Privacy & Compliance to ensure transparency and protect us- er data Featured Speakers: • Simen Van der Perre, Strategic Advisor, Orange Cyberdefense • Frank De Moor, CEO, Q-Park ● 1.5 Multifunctional Use of Parking Spaces as Urban Logistics Micro Hubs (Sponsored Workshop by APCOA) Wednesday, September 17, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CEST) Room Aquarium Co-organized by the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collabo- ration in Europe (ALICE), this workshop will explore the potential of repurposing traditional parking infrastructure into multi-functional logistics hubs for operations such as transshipment and micro-consol- idation, through dynamic management of the space and timesheet. Examples from current practices will be explored to inspire further discussions on possibilities around innovative uses of urban parking spaces for logistics operations, towards developing guiding principles and actionable ideas to implement similar models. Featured Speakers: • Nicola Veratelli, CEO, APCOA • Joy Pasquet, Transport Strategy & Policy Lead, FR BE LUX, Amazon Logistics (TBC) • Tobias Spannbauer, Managing Director, Business Unit Logistics & Services, MOSOLF Group • CityLogin (TBC) • UPS (TBC) • Moderator: Marion Cottet, Deputy Programme Manager – Urban Logistics, ALICE Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 ● 2.4 Resilience & Military Preparedness (Sponsored Workshop by Interparking Group) Wednesday, September 17, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (CEST) Room Studio The concept of resilience and military preparedness for car parks in Europe is gaining attention, particularly in the context of urban secu- rity and infrastructure protection. This workshop will explore how parking facilities can contribute to broader security strategies. Some key considerations include: • Dual-use infrastructure: car parks can serve as emergency shelters or staging areas for crisis response. • Security enhancements: Measures such as surveillance, reinforced structures, and controlled access can improve resilience. • Integration with urban defense strategies: Parking facilities can be part of a city's preparedness plan, ensuring mobility and logistics support during emergencies. The EU Preparedness Union Strategy also emphasizes a whole-of- society approach to resilience, incorporating civilian and military co- operation. Featured Speakers: Case studies from Belgium, Finland, Switzerland, Spain • Belgian Ministry of Defense (TBC) • President Finnish Parking and Mobility Association (TBC) • Damien Zuber, SwissPark President • Manuel Barrios, ASESGA President • Moderator: Roland Cracco, EPA Board Member, President Belgian Parking Federation, CEO Interparking Group ● 2.5 Ready to Make Your City More Liveable? Here’s How (Sponsored Workshop by Arrive ex-EasyPark) Wednesday, September 17, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (CEST) Room Cinema Key aspects that will be discussed: • How Data Makes Cities More Livable? Outline: Cities rarely have a clear and up-to-date overview of their actual parking capacity. With the help of technology, managing parking - from inventory to day-to-day operations - becomes sim- pler and more efficient. Followed by a Q&A. Keynote speaker: Cong Dinh - Head of Insights EU, Arrive ex-EasyPark ➜ 19
LEAD STORY • Smart Tariffs – A Strategic Leap in Parking Management Parking spaces are in high demand but low availability, especially in residential streets and busy city centres. Cities often want to control who uses these spaces and one common method is ena- bling certain types of drivers and dissuading others based on fac- tors like carbon emissions, size of a vehicle and more social ele- ments. In this panel we’ll discuss the pro’s and con’s of traditional dynamic pricing as well as how it can even be taken one step fur- ther and be used as a tool to help a city socio-economically. Followed by a Q&A. • Host: Morten Hother Sørensen - Head of Distribution/Sales Europe, Arrive ex-EasyPark Panel: • Damien Raynaud, Project Manager for New Parking Policy, City of Lyon • Several city representatives (TBC) Featured Speakers: • Thomas Pühringer, Senior Director - Head of Solution Portfolio Management, SKIDATA • Peter Staelens, Head of Mobility, Eurocities • MaaS Alliance members (TBC) • Moderator: Roelof Hellemans, Secretary General, MaaS Alliance ● 3.6 AI in Parking and Mobility (Sponsored Workshop by Quinta Consulting) Thursday, September 18, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CEST) Room Cinema An early-stage workshop exploring how artificial intelligence can op- timize pricing strategies in parking management. This topic will be presented and shaped with the support of selected experts and data providers. ● 3.4 Rethinking Infrastructures to Accommodate New Local Urban Services (Sponsored Workshop by INDIGO) Thursday, September 18, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CEST) Room Studio Featured Speakers: • Wouter Steenstra, Monit Data • Paul Bloemen, SpecifAI • Dr. Bernd Bienzeisler & Vincent P. Göbels, Fraunhofer IAO • Moderator: Dr. Mark Friesen, Quinta Consulting As strategic urban infrastructures, car parks are being transformed to accommodate new forms of mobility, while facilitating and decar- bonizing the transport of goods to city centres. Parcel collection, storage, charging stations for electric vehicles, bicycle infrastructure, urban logistics... these are just some of the developments that meet the challenges of a calmer, less polluted city. With the example of an ambitious pilot project of over 20,000 m² in the heart of Paris, a pio- neer in this urban transition. ● 4.5 The Original Free flow – A barrierless access is the tip of the iceberg of Autopay’s fully digitalised parking management system (Sponsored Workshop by Autopay) Thursday, September 18, 2025 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CEST) Room Cinema Featured Speakers: • Sébastien Fraisse, President of the Executive Board, INDIGO • Xavier Heulin, Deputy Managing Director, Urban Shift, INDIGO • Rémi Goleger, CORSALIS • Fabio Coppo, CORSALIS ● 3.5 Together towards an open urban mobility ecosystem (Sponsored Workshop by SKIDATA) Thursday, September 18, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (CEST) Room Aquarium In partnership with the MaaS Alliance, this workshop will explore best practices and case studies in smart mobility and smart parking management solutions. Participants will tackle the conundrum on how to keep (inner) cities accessible and livable with multimodal transport services and smart parking management solutions. Featured Speakers: • Taking parking management to the centre of the digital parking stage Mikkel Neple, Commercial Director, Autopay Technologies AS, Norway • Airport Parking Management – Fully digital integrated parking: the choices for customer and operational satisfaction • Gunnar Ingi Hafsteinsson, Department Manager – KEF Parking, ISAVIA – National Airport and Air Navigation Provider, Iceland • The Westfield Malls – The state of art parking experience • Simon Erlandsson, Managing Director, Parkman, formerly Senior Operating Manager, Unibail – Rodamco – Westfield, Sweden • A Round Table Discussion: A deep dive behind the scenes into the reality of the comprehensive, fully digitalised parking as a service platform • Moderator: Laurence A. Bannerman, EPA President Emeritus, AIPARK Secretary General 20 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
LEAD STORY ● 4.6 Mastering EV Charging in Parking: from strategy to execution (Sponsored Workshop by Greenflux) Thursday, September 18, 2025 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CEST) Room Riverside 6 We’ll share best practices from our parking customers across Eu- rope. Discover how to unlock the full potential of EV charging and turn your charging operations into a competitive advantage. Keynote Speaker: • Rogier Wissink, Head of Customer Solutions, GreenFlux With the rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales across Europe, urban mobil- ity is undergoing a transformation. Parking operators are uniquely positioned to take the lead in EV charging operations. But how can you successfully transition from a parking operator to a charge point operator (CPO)? EXHIBITION FLOORPLAN On pages 26/27, you will find a large hall plan that you can tear out. configurations and combinations, The EGG gives opportunity when organising seminars, conferences, galas, exhibitions, product launches and more. The hosts claim to be ex- perts in sustainable events, which are a major trend in the events industry. They understand the environmental impact of events, from en- ergy consumption to waste management. In response, The EGG has adopted environmen- tally-friendly solutions. Directions to The EGG with public transport With its prime location in the heart of the European capital, close to Brussels South Station (SNCB, Thalys, Eurostar), The EGG is easily accessible by public transport, but certainly also by car, as there are several car parks close by, notably operated by EPA INDIGO and Platinum Members Q-Park, Interparking. ■ Conference Venue The EGG V enue of the 21st European Parking is “The Conference & Exhibition EGG”, a New York-style building lo- cated near the Brussels-South train station. This exceptionally sustainable conference centre offers a variety of spaces, from work- shop rooms to plenary sessions and exhibi- tion areas, providing ample opportunities for networking and learning. Unique and Sustainable The EGG is a unique building located in the city of Brussels, but its architecture isn’t eve- rything. With its modular design, it turns pro- jects into original and successful events, for 2 to 999 people. With its 5,000 m² and multiple Address Rue Bara 175, 1070 Bruxelles https://theeggbrussels.com/ Public Transport Lines The following transit lines have routes that pass near The EGG Brussels Bus: 46, 48, 73, R70, 78 Train: IC, S2 Subway: 6 G G E e h T ) s o t o h p l l a ( © Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 21
INTRODUCING Interview with Arrive’s Heidi Wildemann, Giuliano Caldo “Our aspiration is to simplify people’s lives” Arrive Germany, one of Europe’s leading providers of digital mobility solutions with well-known brands such as EasyPark, has appointed Heidi Wildemann as its new Managing Director for the German market. Giuliano Caldo, Head of South & Central Europe at Arrive, is responsible for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. We spoke to both of them during the PARKEN exhibition in Wiesbaden, Germany. Hello everyone, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Heidi Wildemann (H.W.): I’m Heidi. My background originally was in banking, but for the last ten years I’ve worked in scale-up companies across Europe. I’m based out of Berlin, but I’ve travelled a lot. So I’m really quite enthralled by the very international setup of Arrive because that’s what I really like and what I’m comfortable with. Yet at the same time I get to stay in my home mar- ket. I actually used to be the head of finance and operations and then later managing di- rector for ParkNow in Germany. I met Arrive, former EasyPark Group, when they acquired ParkNow and I did a very thorough handover with them and that’s where we decided to keep in touch. From where do you work? H.W.: I’m based in Berlin, where we have an office, but we also currently have offices in Hanover and Kiel. I try to be there as much as possible as well as visiting clients. I’m on the road a lot at the moment. And you, Giuliano? Giuliano Caldo (G.C.): I’m based in Rome. I either walk to work or take the airplane to work because I’m responsible for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. I’m also the country manager for Italy, and I have oversight over the country managers in the other countries. So I travel quite a bit. EasyPark is such a famous brand, why this change to the new brand Arrive? G.C.: Well, EasyPark is a very well-known brand in Germany and in many countries of the world. But it’s very specific to parking. ) 2 ( e v i r r A © Heidi Wildemann, Giuliano Caldo, Managing Director Arrive Germany Head of South & Central Europe at Arrive Now we are in a situation where we actually have several technologies that are not only related to parking, but also to payment, transport, and advanced services to cities. Therefore, we wanted to think of something that was about mobility more than about parking. Arrive means – you get to the end, you arrive somewhere. You can arrive by car, you can arrive by bus, and we have solutions for payment in the buses or in the subway. So that’s really part of the value proposition. We think of it as an optimistic way of mobility. So you want to underpin that you are doing more than parking. G.C.: More than parking, and also it has an undertone – in my view – of technology. Be- cause with technology you get instant grati- fication, technology will help you arrive. For this reason, technology is dedicated to mo- bility, not just part of it. It is often said people don’t go for parking they go for shopping or other activities. G.C.: Parking is a very complex matter. In people’s minds the purpose is that of shop- ping. You don’t go out to park. And so, the parking experience needs to be as smooth, as simple, as painless as possible. And this is the goal: We want to make cities more liva- ble. We have this aspiration to improve things in the city. We use a lot of technology with hundreds of millions of transactions per year that can be analysed in 20,000 cities around the world where we operate. And then we can use the experience at the global level to apply it in a city like Baden-Baden or Frankfurt or Berlin or any other city in Ger- many. We use our global experience to help cities at the local level. What practical consequences does your change of name have? G.C.: Drivers in Germany will still park with EasyPark. We’re not going to change the EasyPark logo because it is a very well- known brand. Everything else is going to be Arrive, it is an umbrella brand for the whole 22 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
INTRODUCING is the thing and is going to absorb most of the brands except EasyPark. We will practically try to integrate all of the technology and all of the processes, even the companies. There’s Flowbird Germany, there’s EasyPark Germany, Heidi ‘Geschäftsführer’ (CEO) of both in an integrated way. H.W.: I think the same way the consumer doesn’t want to think about the headache of managing the journey and managing the parking technology. This also applies to our partners, the cities and operators. They want to improve life in their cities for their citizens and we can offer them that. They don’t need to run for the parking meter to this company, for data to that company and for digital pay- ments to another company. We can now of- fer the whole tool-set and want to become their most reliable partner across the board of these solutions – to also reduce the head- ache of managing mobility and achieving city goals for them. That is why you have invested heavily in recent months with the acquisition of Flowbird, Parkopedia and so on? G.C.: Yes, we do investments both in compa- nies but also in software. We have 4,000 em- ployees of which maybe half are developers or in IT. And that’s dedicated to essentially parking, transport, mobility. Because we can see that there is a lot of complexity of corner cases when you park into a garage. You need a lot of brain power to do that. What is your goal? G.C.: Our aspiration is to simplify people’s lives in a very practical way, not just in park- ing, also in mobility. Rules and regulations are totally differ- ent, for example here in Germany. How do you deal with that? H.W.: Sure that’s a challenge, but I think ac- tually it’s a really great opportunity because whenever I have a problem in the German market I can leverage the international or- ganization. One of my many country director colleagues will have had a similar problem before or could at least brainstorm on the solution. And I think especially in the Ger- man market we’re seeing a lot of trends to emerging right now that have already ex- panded much more in international con- texts. Can you give an example? H.W.: For example, if we’re looking at things like scan cars in order to do much more and cost-effective enforcement. That’s some- thing where in the German market the regu- lation isn’t quite there yet. But we hear from our partner cities that they see this trend elsewhere and they’re really interested in it because there’s a shortage of enforcement professionals across Germany. And I think that is one of the pain points we can help solve. And we also have experience with how we turned the market in other countries, how we helped turn the market for our part- ners. Is Arrive’s vision also to become market leader in all of the countries you are pre- sent in? H.W.: It’s our ambition to become the most reliable partner the city turns to when it comes to managing its plans for mobility. We want to have a solution for any problem partner cities have. G.C.: I absolutely agree. We are at the ser- vice of the city and its citizens. That’s our mission. Together we make cities more liva- ble because we do not exist by ourselves, we exist through strong collaboration with cities and with other technology providers within the environment. H.W.: Smart parking is also an important point. The open market models that we have in a lot of German cities – giving customers a chance to choose the parking app that they want to use, that also plays into this collabo- rative approach. there are partnerships with Q-Park and other off-street operators. Is it your strat- egy to get into the car parks? H.W.: Absolutely. I think that goes back to the multi-modal concept of a ride. It doesn’t make sense if you need one app to park your car in a parking garage. And then, on the street, you need to park with another one, and in the next town, you need a third app or something. So, private operators and car parks is an area we’re really investing in. We have found internationally, that once you have a certain coverage on the on-street parking in a certain area, then it also makes sense to develop the market at that point. And now we also have the hardware and can even integrate our solutions across that portfolio. Last question: How do you like the event so far? How did you like it? Was it success- ful? H.W.: This is great because I haven’t been in the parking industry for a couple of years and so it was really good to meet some peo- ple again but also to meet lots of new peo- ple. It also gives me a chance to be really present with the team. I think there’s some really good demonstrations and I find the parking industry in general is very collabora- tive. There are a lot of our partners, not just competitors. G.C.: I love the technology. I think that there’s so many things that have been in- vented and tested and presented here which are not adopted yet. And so the fu- ture is already here, we just need to make sure that the technology that exists today is distributed evenly across all places in the world, in particular in Germany. I see a lot of things. We can already deploy not just our solutions but also the advances by all of the people presenting here. So I feel very optimistic about the future with all of this technology. A few years ago, EasyPark was mainly ac- tive in the on-street parking sector. Now The interview was conducted by Marko Ruh, editor-in-chief of Parking trend international. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 23
EPA NEWS “Proud Member of EPA” Corporate Members – Join Us! The European Parking Association (EPA) has been leading the way in Europe’s parking sector since 1983! As an umbrella organization, EPA brings together national parking associations and corporate members. E PA’s primary goal is to foster cooperation between profession- al parking organizations across different European countries. By exchanging professional experience among its members, EPA helps to improve smart parking management and urban mobili- ty across Europe whilst driving innovation and progress in the park- ing sector. As the parking sector continues to face new and complex challenges, EPA remains committed to making a positive impact on sustainable urban mobility. Corporate Members of EPA M U N I T A L P D L O G R E V L I S APCOA Group www.apcoa.com Arrive INDIGO GROUP Interparking Q-Park www.arrive.com/en www.group-indigo.com www.interparking.com www.q-park.com Best in Parking Riverty www.bestinparking.com ww.riverty.com SETEX APARKI www.gruposetex.es Skidata www.skidata.com Autopay Avantpark BSM Fondation des Parkings www.autopay.io/solutions www.avantpark.de https://bsmsa.cat/en www.geneve-parking.ch/fr GOLDBECK Parking Services www.goldbeck-parking.de PayByPhone Scheidt & Bachmann Verra Mobility www.paybyphone.de www.scheidt-bachmann.com www.verramobility.com 24 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
EPA NEWS Join us and see your logo included on the ’Corporate Members list’ in the next issue of Parking Trend International! We offer four options for Corporate Membership, each with different levels of benefits. These benefits include acknowledgment of your membership on the EPA website, featuring your company logo, and the right to display a “Proud member of EPA” logo on your own website. As a Corporate Member, you also have the right to vote in the EPA General Assembly and contribute to the association’s strategic agenda. Additionally, you can stand for one of the four Board seats reserved for Corporate Members, attend exclusive EPA networking and informa- tion-sharing events, and participate in all EPA activities, including reg- ulatory campaigns and working groups. As a Corporate Member you can get involved with EPA on crucial issues such as parking digitalisa- tion and sustainability, data standards, enforcement, EV charging and fire regulations. ■ For detailed information about the different categories of Corporate Membership see: https://europeanparking.eu/membership-categories/ ACCS International www.accsinternational.com Arivo https://arivo.co Asteroidea Automatic Systems Be-Mobile https://asteroidea.co www.automatic-systems.com www.be-mobile.com Billogram BOE Parking CAME Parkare www.billogram.com www.boe-parking.at www.cameparkare.com CCV Group www.ccv.eu City Park https://citypark.gr coeo Inkasso www.coeo-group.ai Commend DCBL – Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd. Demondo www.commend.com https://dcbltd.com www.demondo.com DESIGNA www.designa.com EFAFLEX www.efaflex.com Egis www.egis-group.com ETI Experts www.eti-experts.de FairParken www.fairparken.com FIFI4PARKING i www.fifi4parking.nl E Z N O R B GreenPoint www.greenpoint-partners.com Hectronic GmbH www.hectronic.com Huber Parking https://huber-parking.com HUB Parking Technology www.hubparking.com Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions www.imperial.co.uk Infotrafic www.infotrafic.com Indigo Park Luxembourg www.group-indigo.com/fr/ Monit Data www.monitdata.com Nayax www.nayax.com Nordisk Profil GmbH www.nordisk-profil.de Orbility Park.Aero www.orbility.com https://agency.park.aero/en/ ParkDots s.r.o. www.parkdots.com Parking Matters Limited https://parkingmatters.com Parkster www.parkster.com Primevest www.primevestcp.com Projekt w www.projekt-w.de Smart Parking SpecifAi Parking Survision www.smartparking.com www.specifai-parking.com www.survisiongroup.com TKH Security https://tkhsecurity.com/ VALEO www.valeo.com Wemolo GmbH www.wemolo.com Yespark www.yespark.fr Yunex Traffic www.yunextraffic.com Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 25
Brussels, 17th-18th September 2025 EXHIBITION FL B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 Bar A1 A2 A3 Welcome Reception / Business Center Workshops Room Aquarium Plenary / Polic Room Audi Registration Area Main Entrance Press Room Workshops Room Cinema Cloakroom A7 A8 A9 Workshops Room Riverside 1 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 Wor Roo 26 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
EXHIBITION FLOORPLAN B8 B9 B10 B11 C1 A4 A5 A6 Policy Sessions Auditorium Workshops Room Studio A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 A19 Bar C5 C2 C3 C4 A16 A17 A18 Buffet Workshops Room Riverside 6 High tables and chairs Catering Booth Company Name A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A11 A13 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 B1 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 Scheidt & Bachmann Innova Billogram CCV Group WPS Infotrafic Securitas FIFI4PARKING EAVP TKH Security Commend Came Parkare Monit Data EPA DISCO Efaflex Genetec Sigmax Law Enforcement Parking Network GreenFlux LECTOR VISION Hub Parking Be-Mobile Automatic Systems Survision Riverty IEM Group SKIDATA Arrive ex-EasyPark INDIGO APCOA Q-Park Interparking Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 27 Please note: This floor plan was correct at the time of printing. For the most up-to-date version, visit https://www.epaconference.eu/exhibition-floorplan/.
EPA NEWS | Corporate Member Portraits Parking Space Management – Fair & Efficient EPA BRONZE MEMBER Available parking spaces when they are needed – that’s our goal. With ETI-Park, operators can decide who is allowed to park, un- der which conditions, and enforce these rules with ease. From customised signage and our user-friendly app to direct integra- tion with free-flow camera systems, we provide a complete solu- tion against unauthorised parking. We take care of everything else: international vehicle owner identification, legally compliant payment notices, and transpar- ent insights via our customer portal. From small medical practic- es to international car park networks, we adapt flexibly – always with a focus on fairness and understanding. We are currently expanding our free-flow integration across Europe, supporting both large operators and event organi- sers. The result: less stress, more available spaces, and peace of mind – for operators, customers, and visitors alike. EPA BRONZE MEMBER Elevating the Customer Experience Space by Space With our PARK ASSIST solutions, we advance your operations, maximize revenue, and elevate the parker experience. With a global footprint of over 1.25 million parking spaces and time-to- park reduced by up to 63%, we deliver measurable impact at scale. How? Partnering with leading institutions like Álvaro Cun- queiro Hospital, in Vigo, Spain and Erasmus MC Hospital, Rotter- dam we deliver smart parking systems that do exactly that for patients, visitors, and staff alike. That same intelligence is redefining parking in retail environments, where security and accountability are critical. With nearly 70% of drivers unaware of who or what damaged their vehicle in a parking garage, our technology provides crisp HD video, license plate recog- nition, and space-by-space monitoring. This not only deters theft and vandalism but also resolves disputes quickly and prevents false claims. In one case, a client avoided a costly legal battle when our footage proved the reported vandalism was self-inflicted damage. From reducing time to park and providing real-time data, to offering intuitive signage and bidirectional traffic detection with over 96% accuracy, our solutions are transforming hospital cam- puses—and beyond. Backed by our INX data platform, Park Alerts, and Park Finder tools, we’re proud to be at the forefront of parking that goes far beyond guidance—fostering trust, saving money, and taking parking to the next level. EPA BRONZE MEMBER Digital Parking, Done Right – With Cities and Users in Mind At Parkster, we make parking digital – and fair. Founded in Sweden, with offices in Lund and Munich, we work closely with cities across Sweden, Germany, and Austria to support smarter, more transparent parking strategies. For us, it’s not just about technology — it’s about creating real value for both cities and the people who live, work, and visit them. We help cities offer a mod- ern parking experience that is easy to manage, fair to users, and flexible for the future. Freedom of choice is at the heart of what we do. Parkster users can always choose to park without service fees — or opt into smart premium features. Everything is clearly presented, with no hidden costs or surprises. That’s how we build trust, one parking session at a time. We’re proud to be a reliable partner to cities that want to digitize with purpose — and keep their citizens in focus. Learn more at www.parkster.com. Contact us: Elin Keim | Country Manager Germany & Austria elin.keim@parkster.com 28 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
Corporate Member Portraits | EPA NEWS Europe’s Digital Parking Leader EPA BRONZE MEMBER Making Cities Flow Better Yespark Group is Europe’s leading digital platform for long-term and flexible parking. By transforming underutilized private park- ing into accessible digital assets, we offer a seamless alternative to traditional parking—reducing congestion, emissions, and wasted urban space. One Group, A Dual Expertise, Two Apps Formed in 2025 from the merger of Yespark and Zenpark, our group covers both monthly and hourly needs with over 100,000 parking spots across 700+ cities in France, Italy, and Belgium. Drivers can search, try, and rent parking spaces in seconds via smartphone—with no physical badge, and no long-term commit- ment. Urban Impact, Real Results We work with landlords, housing operators, hotels and fleet man- agers to unlock value from dormant assets. Since our beginning, our partners earned up to €120M, with zero upfront investment. We’ve also integrated EV charging in hundreds of locations, align- ing with city climate targets and the growing demand for clean transportation. Innovating with Purpose From dynamic pricing based on usage data, to remote gate con- trol and contactless access, we’re redefining how parking fits into smart urban mobility. Our scalable, asset-light model supports both densified urban centers and low-emission zone strategies— without new construction. Looking Ahead As part of the EPA network, we’re eager to share our experience and co-develop sustainable, tech-forward parking ecosystems across Europe. More information: https://www.yespark.fr/ Public Interest in Motion EPA BRONZE MEMBER Founded in 1969 by Geneva's Grand Council, the Fondation des Parkings is an autonomous public institution and Switzerland's leading parking operator. Our mission is to support the canton's mobility strategy, uniquely balancing commercial performance with public utility objectives to prioritize collective benefit. We manage 42,000 parking spaces in 250 facilities - P+R, public/pri- vate lots, and vélostations - and 48,000 on-street spaces. Our ac- tivities include building and operating parkings, managing digi- tal permits and parking meters as well as parking enforcement. Sustainability as a strategic priority Sustainability is a core priority, reflected in our ongoing infra- structure optimisation. In 2024, we replaced over 1,500 lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient models and added smart sen- sors, saving energy equivalent to the annual consumption of 146 households. A 44-year-old ventilation system was also replaced, halving its energy consumption (approx. 70,000 kWh/year). This commitment extends to using recycled and sustainable materials in new projects. Promoting active mobility The Foundation is a key promoter of active mobility. We provide 3,000 bicycle parking spaces in 25 secure “vélostations” in Gene- va and nearly 6,000 additional spaces across 40 other vélosta- tions in Switzerland. These are managed via velocity.ch, our digi- tal platform launched in 2018, now used by over two-thirds of the country's vélostations to provide seamless access to secure bicy- cle parking. Adapting to future mobility We constantly adapt to evolving urban mobility needs. To support the EV transition, we offer the most extensive charging network among Swiss parking operators, with over 450 charging points in 45 facilities. Our plan is to reach 1,000 points by the end of 2027. Through our public service mission, the Fondation des Park- ings continues to invest in sustainable infrastructure, embrace digital solutions, and work closely with local and private part- ners, playing an essential role in shaping the future of urban mo- bility in Geneva and beyond. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 29
BEST PRACTICE m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / M a n e G - Q © Cross-border P+R concept: A high-level bus service is connecting Gex, Ferney-Voltaire and Geneva. Fondation des Parkings Cross-Border Mobility: P+R Service in Ferney-Voltaire From autumn 2025, Geneva based Fonda- tion des Parkings (FP) will offer its first P+R parking service in France, in partner- ship with SPL Territoire d’innovation (Ter- rinnov). This new cross-border scheme combines parking and public transport to encourage commuters to switch to alter- native modes of transport before crossing the border. I t is a concrete measure from the Depart- ment of Health and Mobility’s 2024-2028 parking action plan to ease traffic conges- tion and improve quality of life in the canton. The result of close collaboration between Swiss FP and its French partner Terrinnov, this pilot project will be launched in the new Hotspot car park in the heart of the Ferney- Genève Innovation development zone. Opened on 4 July 2025, this multi-storey car park is located in the immediate vicinity of the high-level bus service connecting Gex, Ferney-Voltaire and Geneva and the future Tram des Nations. It offers 436 car spaces and 90 charging points. From autumn 2025, 130 P+R spaces will be available. Secure Parking and Unlimited Access to Public Transport For an annual fee of CHF 1,227 including VAT, users will benefit from a secure parking space and unlimited access to public trans- port in zone 250 (France) and zone 10 (Gene- va). “This price, which is comparable to that of P+R facilities located in Geneva, is the re- sult of a partnership in which each stake- holder bears an equal share of the actual cost in order to ensure the attractiveness of the offer,” explains Damien Zuber, Managing Director of Fondation des Parkings. “We are very pleased that the Ferney-Ge- nève Innovation ZAC is able to offer this ser- vice for the first time in the French Genevois area. This offer, which is a precursor to the one that will be implemented at the Bisou crossroads in 2028, will provide a concrete and rapid response to traffic congestion at the Ferney-Voltaire customs crossing,” ex- plains Vincent Scattolin, President of SPL Territoire d’Innovation. P+R Facilities Outside the Canton This initiative in Ferney-Voltaire is only a first step. The FP aims to develop a P+R parking offer outside the canton with 2,000 subscrip- tions by the end of 2028, targeting strategic locations at competitive rates. Contacts are already underway to extend this model to the canton of Vaud. “This first partnership, led by the Fondation, fits perfectly with the DSM’s strategy of propos- ing concrete measures to reduce the nuisances associated with increased traffic,” emphasises Pierre Maudet, State Councillor in charge of health and mobility. “This measure responds to the need to offer alternatives to crossing the border by private car while improving the qual- ity of life for Geneva residents.” The State Councillor also points out that more than 100,000 parking spaces are cur- rently offered by Geneva-based companies to their employees. In partnership with the business community, the DSM is undertak- ing a survey of these private facilities in or- der to optimise their use, encourage car- pooling and better guide commuters’ mobil- ity choices. ■ 30 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
List Sponsorship Award 2026 BEST PRACTICE New Ideas for Urban Transport and Parking T he List Group is once again offering its sponsorship award for academic work on the topic of urban transport and parking. The award is aimed at students at technical colleges and universities who are studying transport, parking, individual and public transport, and the development and coexist- ence of different modes of transport in cities. The prize is worth 5,000 euros and will be awarded for project work, seminar papers, specialist papers, bachelor’s, diploma or master’s theses, and conceptual ideas that make a forward-looking contribution to solving traffic and parking problems in cit- ies. Creative contributions to the transport of the future are just as welcome as innova- tive concepts and ideas. An expert jury con- sisting of representatives from science, in- dustry, the ÖAMTC (Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club) and the City of . . . H b m . s e g s g n u g i l i e t e B t s i L , t p m i l i K e n b a S © fic and parking problems for decades as a private builder and owner of car parks. Through its companies in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia, the group manages over 100 car parks with 50,000 parking spaces. ■ Call for Entries The call for entries is available at uni- versities and technical colleges in Aus- tria and neighbouring countries and can be downloaded from the website http://www.list-group.at/foerderpreis. The deadline for entries for the 2026 List Prize is 15 December 2025. The award ceremony will take place in the first quarter of 2026.. Vienna, as well as a communications expert, will evaluate the submissions. The List Group The List Group based in Vienna has been ac- tively contributing to solving inner-city traf- Interparking Polska Microhub Opens in Wrocław’s City Centre A groundbreaking transformation is un- Kurierzy Rowerowi are already involved. This innovation is an excellent example of how academia and industry can work together to shape the future of logistics in a city. The project therefore contributes to lower CO₂ emissions and noise pollution, reduces traffic congestion and offers more space for people and less for parked vans. ■ derway beneath the iconic National Fo- rum of Music in Wrocław, a city in western Poland. Where cars once dominated, Po- land’s first shared delivery microhub is now paving the way for cleaner, quieter and smarter urban logistics. Spanning 500 m², this innovative hub al- lows delivery vans to transfer goods to cargo bikes and refrigerated cycles. This signifi- cantly reduces emissions, noise, and conges- tion in the city centre while freeing up pave- ments from parked delivery vehicles. Collective effort for sustainable future This pioneering initiative is the result of close collaboration between the City of Wrocław, Wrocław University of Economics, Interparking Polska and Wrocławskie In- westycje. Leading logistics partners such as DPD Polska Sp z o.o., GLS Poland, InPost, Al- legro, Makro Cash & Carry, and Wrocławscy A step toward sustainable urban living: The new microhub in Wrocław’s city centre. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 31 l l a H y t i C w a ł c o r W , r e t j a R z r o g e z r G ©
BEST PRACTICE k c o t s r e t t u h S © Urbiotica How to Improve Parking Management for People with Reduced Mobility Cities face a number of challenges related to mobility and coexistence among all road users. In this context, solutions for controlling and managing parking spaces for people with reduced mobility (PRM) are particularly necessary. Excerpt from a blog post by Urbiotica. If you look closely and analyse, cities are not fully accessible to people with reduced mobility or functional impairments. It is difficult for blind people or wheelchair users to get around city centres. In the latter case, we must therefore pay attention to drivers who have parking permits for people with re- duced mobility and respect their rights. due to the limited number of parking spac- es and reserved parking spaces are often il- legally occupied by unauthorised users de- spite the associated fines. Since the misuse of reserved parking spaces, which are dif- ferent from other parking spaces, consti- tutes a misdemeanour, reliable control is necessary. This is especially true when finding a parking space in cities is a complicated task The most effective way to achieve this is through the use of technologies developed by companies such as Urbiotica, which di- rect authorised users to available parking spaces and generate warning messages to parking enforcement services in the event of violations. PRM cards: what are they for? Parking spaces for people with reduced mo- bility are reserved for wheelchair users, people who need two walking aids to walk, 32 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
BEST PRACTICE people with severe mental disabilities or people who have difficulty moving on une- ven ground or stairs. These individuals have the right to apply for a parking space near their home, workplace or place of educa- tion. These are permits for the use of public roads with an exclusive reservation for the parking of a single vehicle, which can only be used in conjunction with a specific li- cence plate. To reserve these parking spaces, this group of people can apply for a PRM card (EU parking card for people with disabilities), a personal and non-transferable ID card. This card allows them to park in parking spaces for people with reduced mobility in Spain and other European Union countries without restrictions. The PRM card can be used in any vehicle in which the cardholder is travelling, who must always be present when the card is used. ParkCTRL: Solution for parking management Taking into account the situation described above, Urbiotica has developed an intelli- gent solution for managing and controlling parking spaces for PRM. It enables compre- hensive control of the use of PRM parking spaces and ensures their proper use and compliance with applicable regulations. When a parking space is occupied by an un- authorised user, a warning message is sent to the parking staff via the ParkCTRL app. This means that violations are detected im- mediately, which reduces the cost of moni- toring parking spaces compared to previous methods and increases the availability of free parking spaces. The solution uses U-Spot sensors, built-in magnetic sensors or recognition software with cameras and artificial intelligence to detect the arrival, presence and departure of vehicles in each parking space. It also offers advantages by directing people with re- duced mobility to available parking spaces in their vicinity, thus preventing unneces- sary turning manoeuvres with the vehicle. The robust vehicle detection technology is reliable and provides PRM card users with real-time information. Improvement through deterrence In short, the system prevents unauthor- ised persons from breaking the rules and harming people with reduced mobility. At the same time, improved control acts as a deterrent to potential parking offenders. This stops them from occupying parking spaces they are not entitled to, which is a significant benefit for people with reduced ■ mobility. Promotion mobility CONNECT Connecting the World of Parking H arness the potential of mobility CON- NECT and engage with an extensive network of mobility providers and parking facility operators. Through the automatic integration of new platform partners, your parking facility can seamlessly enhance its capabilities, thereby attracting a larger customer base as digital access renders your facility a more convenient option. Provide a ticketless entry and exit experience through license plate recognition, ensuring a smooth and hassle- free process for users. Maintain oversight with real-time reporting of all digital transac- tions, and benefit from cost savings achieved through reduced cash handling and mini- mized equipment wear. Elevate your opera- tions with mobility CONNECT and transform your parking management today. How it works - simply, efficient and future-proof • Step 1: Operator or owner connects with mobility CONNECT – integration is simple and seamless via open interface – no conversions required • Step 2: Car park is visible in mobility apps – enhanced presence in digital platforms attracts new target groups and supports improved capacity utilisa- tion • Step 3: User enters ticketless, pays au- tomatically – convenience enabled by licence plate recognition and stored payment details – no tickets, no queues • Step 4: Operator receives live reports & full control – real-time data, monitor- ing, remote maintenance – all centrally located A registered motorist enters a car park with number plate recognition without a ticket and via a mobility provider. Your benefit for your business Due to the independent position (platform/ manufacturer), mobility CONNECT is a multi- purpose system in the broadest sense. As a mobility provider, you benefit from access to a huge network of digitally accessible parking facilities and can thus offer your customers an even better mobility service. For opera- tors, we offer high added value for their ser- vice portfolio. With our Software-as-a-Service solution, no additional hardware is required. Intelligent technologies reduce parking search traffic, increase convenience and opti- mise the utilisation of your parking facility. ■ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 33
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS BISS First pay-on-exit parking in Latvia Milestone in Latvia's parking landscape: Thanks to the collaboration between Snabb, BISS, and Verifone, a new stand- ard has recently been introduced and a fully digital free-flow parking system has been launched. T he project covered four locations in Riga and incorporated off-street, on- street and pay-on-exit parking. BISS supplied and configured five payment kiosks and three pay-on-exit terminals, developed a custom-branded interface and integrated the solution with Snabb’s infrastructure. Ver- ifone provided the secure UX700 Android OS payment device, which facilitates secure and reliable transactions and accepts any pay- ment type. Snabb provided the core digital infrastructure that connected and managed all components. The result is a modern, fully digital park- ing system designed to support various parking types and user needs. It integrates ANPR cameras and barriers where needed, real-time data exchange, and flexible pay- ment options — all working together to en- sure a smooth, convenient experience for drivers at every location. First Location in Latvia with pay-on-exit The shopping centre Origo was the main site of this launch and the first location in Latvia to offer a pay-on-exit parking system. The parking area includes two zones, both equipped with ANPR cameras and automatic barriers provided by Snabb. BISS installed three pay-on-exit terminals positioned at the exit barriers, along with two traditional pay- ment kiosks inside the parking area. This setup provides drivers the flexibility to pay in advance at a kiosk or directly at the exit. In the pay-on-exit scenario, the process is fast, fully automated, and takes less than 20 seconds. As the vehicle approaches the exit terminal, the license plate number is auto- matically scanned. The system then retrieves the applicable tariff and displays the amount BISS is setting new standards for parking in Latvia. due on the screen. The driver simply taps his card for a contactless payment or can use other payment methods. Once the payment is confirmed by Snabb’s system, the barrier opens automatically — allowing the driver to exit smoothly and hassle-free. Off-street parking At both Radisson Blu hotel locations, Snabb operates barrier-controlled off-street park- ing using ANPR cameras for entry and exit tracking. BISS installed a payment kiosk at each hotel, allowing guests to enter their li- cense plate number and view the calculated parking fee, which is automatically retrieved from Snabb’s system, and complete the pay- ment on-site. Once paid, BISS sends a confir- mation back to Snabb’s system to allow bar- rier exit. The setup provides a smooth expe- rience for hotel guests without needing any physical tickets or apps. On-street parking Unlike the other locations, Lastādijas iela is an open, on-street parking zone without AN- PR or barriers. Here, BISS installed a stand- alone pay station where drivers manually enter their license plate number and select the desired parking time. In this case, tariff calculation is handled directly by the BISS system. After payment, confirmation is sent to Snabb for enforcement purposes, and a digital receipt is available via QR code or email. This setup shows how BISS terminals can work flexibly even in open environ- ments. Custom interface for Snabb The providers consider the customized user interface developed for the Snabb payment kiosks to be one of the most important ele- ments of this introduction. Instead of a ge- neric user experience, every terminal – whether on the street, in a hotel or at an exit – follows Snabb's visual identity. The screens, workflow, language and logic have been de- signed to reflect the Snabb brand and provide drivers with a consistent and professional ex- perience from start to finish. ■ 34 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 I S S B ©
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS a r t c e l E © Electra – here a photo of fast chargers in France – is integrating Spark Alliance into its own application and adding smart charging features. Electra / Spark Alliance Europe’s Largest Fast-Charging Network in One App Electra, European pioneer in fast charging and market leader for fast charging stations in France and Belgium, is setting new standards in user-friendliness: the Electra app now displays all charging points in the Spark Alliance, Europe’s largest interoperable fast charging network. A s one of the first members of the alliance, Electra is seam- lessly integrating the entire network – over 11,000 charging points from Electra, Fastned, Ionity and Atlante – into its own application. In addition to the new network coverage, users of the Electra app benefit from an intelligent trip planner that automatical- ly recommends the best charging stops based on vehicle type, route and real-time traffic data and provides a cost estimate for the planned stops. Focus on Charging Convenience The Spark Alliance brings together four leading charging infrastruc- ture providers: Electra, Fastned, Ionity and Atlante. With the integra- tion of all Spark Alliance charging points into the Electra app, users now have access to Europe’s largest interoperable fast-charging net- work and can start charging at any charging station in the alliance without having to switch apps. Paul Tonini, Country Manager of Electra Germany: “We believe in open solutions and customer benefits rather than platform thinking. That’s why we are integrating the entire Spark network into our app. For a seamless charging experience, we enable customers to start charging processes with all partners from within our app.” This allows drivers to conveniently search for charging stations in the Electra app, filter charging points and navigate directly to the nearest available station. All Spark Alliance partner stations can be accessed directly and started from the app, just like Electra hubs. The prices of the respective charging station provider apply. Intelligent Trip Planner Based on the battery level, the selected route and real-time traffic data, the Electra app automatically calculates sensible charging times. According to the provider, the average charging time at Electra stations is only 20 minutes, which is significantly below the market average. The fast-charging stations, with a capacity of up to 400 kW, are located along major European routes, holiday destinations and intermodal transport hubs. Alessandro Inderbitzin, General Manager for the DACH region at Electra: “Our mission is clear: charging should be easy, fast and stress-free. Especially in summer, we want to show that electric mo- bility works comfortably.” 11,000 Usable Stations Electra now operates a total of 2,600 charging points in ten coun- tries. The integration of Spark Alliance immediately increases the number of usable stations to over 11,000 – with network availability of over 99 per cent. ■ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 35
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS Arivo Wiesbaden/Germany, Arivo present- ed its new generation of parking hardware. Two core components were show- cased: the cashless payment terminal and the exit station, which is used at the exit of barrier-controlled systems—representing Arivo’s hardware portfolio. “A parking system that only receives a manual update every two years is simply not built for the world we live in—let alone the one we’re heading toward,” said Dominik Wieser, founder and CEO of Arivo. “Tradi- tional, hardware-heavy systems are often limited by complex configuration, high re- newal costs, and a lack of flexibility to meet evolving demands.” Arivo set out to change this—with a platform designed to grow alongside its customers’ needs and redefine what modern parking infrastructure can look like. According to Arivo, all hardware compo- nents are fully integrated into a central soft- ware ecosystem that supports continuous development, effortless scalability, and long-term adaptability. Each device is built to be robust, reliable, and intuitive to use. Intuitive Interfaces and Auto-Pairing Setup The new product line combines contempo- rary, minimalist design with large touch dis- New Generation of Parking Hardware A t this year’s PARKEN trade fair in plays and clearly structured user interfaces for a seamless user experience. Thanks to Arivo’s auto-pairing technology, there’s no need for manual setup of IP addresses, IO contacts, or payment terminal configura- tions. Setup is as simple as pairing Bluetooth headphones with a smartphone. Devices can be installed or replaced in just a few min- utes—no technical expertise required. This reduces operator dependence on service teams and enables quick on-site responses. Updates are rolled out automatically and step by step. “With built-in fallback systems, there’s no risk of downtime due to updates,” notes Dominik Wieser. Software is down- loaded in the background during the day and activated overnight via restart. If an er- ror is detected, the device automatically re- stores the previous stable version. Integrated Emergency Call Feature Each device includes a built-in emergency call function with a configurable contact number, allowing customers to reach the operator’s support or customer service di- rectly from the terminal. Authorized staff can open devices via QR code, eliminating the need for physical keys or key safes. This sim- plifies operations and reduces administra- tive workload. From the hardware housing to the moth- erboard, Arivo developed its hardware en- Exit station tirely in-house and partners with an Austrian manufacturing firm for production. Using the same components in each device and full control over all key components ensures high supply chain reliability, long-term spare part availability, and independence from ex- ternal suppliers, says Arivo. “We may not know which features will matter most three years from now, but we know our customers will be ready with Ari- vo,” says Dominik Wieser. ■ ) 3 ( H b m G o v i r A © Cashless payment terminal 36 Presentation of a barrier-controlled system by Arivo at this Year’s PARKEN trade fair in Wiesbaden. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
BACK GROUND Watch out for cables on the pavement (like here in London): Not everyone has the option of charging their car off-street at home. A British government initiative aims to remedy this situation. UK Government £63 Million Boost for Britain’s Electric Vehicle Revolution m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / e r g e S x e l A © New funding of £63 million is set to help create a fairer and cleaner future where every family can benefit from cheaper and greener transport. Press release from the Department for Transport, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, NHS England. Motorists across England are set to benefit from the government’s re- cent release of a £63 million invest- ment package to expand electric vehicle in- frastructure in the UK, reduce charging costs and put money back into the pockets of working people as part of the Plan for Change. An initial £25 million programme for local authorities will expand access to cheaper home charging points. This will give con- sumers access to cheaper tariffs for private households and save them up to £1,500 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car, which could fundamentally change the way thousands of households without their own driveways charge their electric cars. Cross-Pavement Technology The innovative cross-pavement technology will allow cables to run safely beneath pavements, connecting homes directly to parked vehicles, enabling more families to tap into cheaper do- mestic electricity rates for as little as 2 pence per mile even if they don’t have a driveway. The fund is the latest move to bolster the UK’s growing charging network which has reached a record 82,000 public chargepoints, with a further 100,000 expected to be in- stalled as a result of the government’s Local EV Infrastructure Fund and £6 billion of pri- vate investment committed to 2030. Electrification of Ambulances To ensure the savings the EV transition can bring are felt in the public sector too, the NHS in England is also receiving a major sus- tainability upgrade with an £8 million fund to power the electrification of ambulances and medical fleets across over 200 NHS sites, saving millions in costs which can be invest- ed into patient care. ➜ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 37
e c n e c i L t n e m n r e v o G n e p O © BACK GROUND ➜ With this latest investment, the UK govern- ment is clearly siding with British motorists. It is part of a comprehensive plan to sup- port motorists, which includes a record in- vestment of £1.6 billion to fix potholes and reduce fuel duty to 5 pence until spring 2026, which the government says will save the average motorist £50 to £60 over the course of the year. Modernising EV Charging Signage In a pioneering move to help EV drivers plug into the rapidly expanding charging net- work, the government is also modernising EV charging signage on major roads. EV charging hubs have more than doubled since the beginning of 2023 and immediate changes will allow larger EV charging hubs to be signposted from major A-roads for the first time. The Government is committed to boosting charging for long journeys, with £400 million announced in the Spending Review to support charging infrastructure, including on the strategic road network. y l l u G e g r a h C © Electric ambulance n o i t a i c o s s A e l i b o m o t u A © “There are more public chargers than people realise, but they are often hidden in plain sight. Increasing signs for the public network is vital to help the EV transition as it will create confidence for drivers both now and in the future. It is great to see more support for those without off-street parking so that they can also benefit from the EV revolution.” Charge Gully, the innovative cross-pavement solution for at-home electric vehicle (EV) charging, started a large scale trial across four Local Authorities in the UK. Edmund King, AA (Automobile Association) president 38 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
BACK GROUND tric cars sold at under £20,000 and 34 brand new electric cars are available from under £30,000. The UK was also the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 EVs sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 82,000 public chargepoints in the UK – with one added every 30 minutes – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket. ■ The innovative cross-pavement technology will allow cables to run safely beneath pavements, connecting homes directly to parked vehicles. “We are making it easier and cheaper to own an electric vehicle. We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, so we are tackling that head on so that everyone–whether or not they have a driveway– can access the benefits of going electric.” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander t s u r T g n i v a S y g r e n E © Alongside the boosts for electric car drivers, the government is also launching a major new grant scheme to help businesses install charging points at depots nationwide, sup- porting the nation’s heavy goods vehicles, vans and coach drivers in the transition to zero emissions. The action follows recent updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate to make it easier for the sector to switch to electric as part of govern- ment’s ongoing work to back British manufacturing. With over 1.2 million people employed in the freight and logistics sector in the UK alone, this announcement is the latest move to keep industry at the forefront of in- ternational competition in the face of global economic headwinds. UK largest EV market in Europe in 2024 Owning and buying an EV is becoming in- creasingly cheaper, with 2 in 5 of used elec- THE information sources for parking professionals • THE parking magazine with an European view • THE trade journal for the German speaking region Parking trend · official organ of the European Parking Association (EPA) · international trade journal · specialist magazine for parking · independent, objectively and technically sound · editorial team of EPA members and technical editors · average of 6.25 readers per copy, 23,000 in total* Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 *Results of a reader survey p a d e N : o t o h P www.maenken.com 39
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS n o i s i v r u S © Survision Front Reading vs. Rear Reading in License Plate Recognition and Vehicle Identification One of the most important decisions when deploying an LPR system is whether to read plates from the front or rear of vehicles. This choice can significantly impact installation complexity, camera performance, recognition accuracy, and system reliability. It also depends heavily on regional plate laws and vehicle design. U nderstanding the pros and cons of both approaches helps operators make informed decisions for their specific use cases. Front vs. Rear Plate Reading? Front Reading refers to capturing the vehi- cle’s license plate as it approaches a camera, typically at entrances of parking lots or checkpoints. This method is highly effective in jurisdictions where front license plates are mandatory, and it's ideal for proactive detec- tion and access control. Rear Reading is the process of capturing license plates from the back of a vehicle, of- ten after it has entered a facility. This meth- od is common in regions where front plates are not required, such as many states in the U.S., or when vehicles like motorcycles only display rear plates. The placement of the LPR camera— whether it faces oncoming or departing vehi- cles—affects not only the detection angle and lighting conditions but also how early or 40 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
late in the process the plate is read, which influences security and system responsive- ness. Regional Variance LPR usage and plate-reading strategies vary widely around the world. In Europe, most countries require both front and rear license plates, making dual-sided LPR systems standard. France and Germany, for example, issue highly legible standardized plates that work seamlessly with front and rear reading setups. The UK uses white front plates and yellow rear plates, which enhance visibility in various lighting conditions. In the United States, there’s less uniform- ity. While 29 states require both front and rear plates, 21 states mandate only rear plates. This creates challenges for nation- wide LPR deployments and often leads to rear-reading-only installations. Australia fol- lows a similar model, where license plate re- quirements and formats differ between states and territories. The lack of standardization globally means that LPR systems must be adaptable. Camera positioning, optical character recog- nition (OCR) algorithms, and lighting config- urations all need to be fine-tuned to local re- quirements and vehicle behaviours. Front Vs. Rear Reading Challenges Environmental conditions and vehicle con- figurations can affect LPR performance; moreover, the plate position (rear or back) modifies how these conditions impact LPR accuracy. Back-In vs. Front-In parking has been a de- bate for long since both methods offer pros and cons; the case of univiersities and their parking police is a good example: Often driven by safety and efficiency, many univer- sities require vehicles to park front-in, this solves many problems and brings uniformity and compliance, taking into account that in some places, front plates are optional; how- ever, some think that back-in parking can re- duce accidents in pedestrian-heavy environ- ments like campuses, as it allows the vehicle to exit forward and the driver to have a bet- ter field of view. Why Some Regions Use Both Plates — And Others Don’t The presence or absence of front plates is largely a function of legislative history and administrative policy. In the U.S., for exam- ple, states like California and New York man- date front and rear plates for easier enforce- ment and better visibility, while states like Florida and Arizona do not, citing cost sav- ings and aesthetic concerns. More advanced in control technologies, European countries generally require both plates for consistent identification from all angles. The rationale includes improved public safety, more reliable toll collection, and better integration with surveillance in- frastructure. Some law enforcement agencies argue that front plates are essential for identifying oncoming vehicles, especially in hit-and-run scenarios or when vehicles are caught on traffic cameras from the front. On the other Challenges Front Reading Rear Reading Dirt Damage Visibility Front plates get dirty faster due to wind and road debris, but are also cleaned more regularly. Rear plates are protected from frontal debris but stay dirty longer due to lack of airflow. Front plates are more exposed to impact from road debris and minor collisions. Rear plates are often mounted within the vehicle body, reducing exposure and potential damage. Front plates are usually unobstructed and clearly visible as vehicles approach. Rear plates can be obscured by tow hitches, trailers, bicycles, or mud. Reflection Front plates are typically installed horizontally, minimizing sun glare. Rear plates may be angled, causing glare or headlight reflections at certain times of day. INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS hand, regions that favour rear-only plates often cite the minimal enforcement benefit as the reason for the additional cost. Understanding these legal and cultural differences is crucial for tailoring LPR de- ployments effectively. Operators must con- sider not only what’s allowed, but also what offers the best operational outcome based on local conditions and vehicle norms. Dual-Reading: A Leap Forward in LPR Accuracy While rear-reading systems are common in regions like the U.S., adding front-reading capability can significantly boost system ac- curacy. Using Survision’s dual-camera LPR solution, Ontario Airport in California re- ported a 4% increase in accuracy after imple- menting a front-read dual reading. To quantify: in a 100 vehicles per day lane, a 4% increase means 4 additional vehi- cles accurately recognized daily. Over a week, that’s an increase of 120 monthly vehi- cles properly captured, a significant reduc- tion on lost revenue, misreads, or access control errors. This improvement is even more signifi- cant in high-traffic environments, such as airports, toll roads, and secure campuses, where thoroughness and reliability are cru- cial. Survision’s technology enables cameras to communicate with each other, comparing and validating reads from both ends of the vehicle to ensure maximum recognition pre- cision. Adapting to the Future With regional regulations continually shift- ing and technology advancing rapidly, adaptability is crucial. LPR systems that em- brace flexible installation strategies and smart data fusion will lead the next wave of intelligent mobility. The future of license plate recognition isn’t just about reading a single plate—it’s about understanding the entire vehicle. Whether a system uses front, rear, or dual- reading cameras, the end goal is accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. As the industry evolves, we’re seeing a growing interest in multi-angle recognition, AI-assisted vehicle profiling, and broader identification fea- tures, such as vehicle make, model, and col- our. ■ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 41
BACK GROUND ) 2 ( e g r a h c p O © Opcharge Rethinking Destination Charging – Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better Destination charging refers to EV charging infrastructure installed at locations where drivers naturally spend extended periods of time—hotels, offices, shopping centres, or residential complexes. Thoughts on understanding destination charging. U nlike highway rapid charging de- signed for quick top-ups during long charging journeys, serves customers who park for hours rather than minutes, fundamentally changing both the technical requirements and business model for charging infrastructure. destination The UK EV Market Transformation The UK electric vehicle market is experienc- ing rapid transformation as part of a global revolution that will see EVs represent one in four new passenger vehicles sold world- wide in 2025, according to BloombergNEF projections of nearly 22 million battery electric and plug-in hybrid sales globally. Goldman Sachs Research forecasts EVs will comprise half of new car sales by 2035, but this shift demands massive infrastructure investment estimated at $1.6-2.5 trillion globally by 2050 for charging infrastructure alone. The UK government faces a particu- larly ambitious challenge, needing to install at least 300,000 public chargers by 2030, requiring unprecedented daily deployment rates to support the nation’s transition to electric mobility. However, this infrastructure gold rush has created a misalignment rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of con- sumer needs. The industry’s obsession with ultra-rapid charging overlooks that longer charging sessions actually provide superior value—slower charging reduces for infrastructure costs, and creates opportu- nities for meaningful revenue through re- tail partnerships at charging locations. Mc- Kinsey research reveals that while con- sumers express preference faster charging, EV drivers are willing to pay about 10% more for on-highway charging than for destination charging, demonstrat- ing that speed comes at a cost that could be better invested in comfortable, ameni- ty-rich environments encouraging longer, more profitable dwell times. Forward- thinking operators are discovering that destination charging requires a fundamen- tally different approach—one that prior- itizes smart infrastructure planning and ROI maximization. 42 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
The Destination Charging Reality Check Unlike highway service stations or dedicated charging hubs, where drivers need maximum charging speeds during brief stops, destina- tion charging serves a completely different use case. Hotels, offices, shopping centers, and leisure facilities host visitors and employ- ees for extended periods—often several hours or longer. This extended dwell time trans- forms the charging equation entirely. “The biggest misconception we encoun- ter is that destination charging needs to mir- ror the high-power solutions used on motor- ways,” explains Thomas Herbert, Managing Director at Opcharge UK. “In reality, a hotel guest or an office worker doesn’t need 150kW charging. They need reliable, cost-ef- fective charging that integrates seamlessly with the property’s existing infrastructure.” Right-Sized Solutions Ensure ROI Advantage The economics of destination charging favor lower-power solutions like Tritium’s RTM se- ries for several compelling reasons: • Lower Capital Investment: High-power chargers command premium prices, but destination charging rarely requires this level of hardware investment. Lower-pow- er solutions also reduce costs associated with grid connections or modifications to existing site power infrastructure. • Higher Utilization Rates: By aligning power delivery with actual vehicle demand, oper- ators ensure higher utilization against the lower capital investment—the charger is simply in use more of the time. On larger sites, multiple lower-power charging points can serve more customers simultaneously. “We’ve seen properties achieve payback pe- riods of 2-3 years with thoughtfully deployed lower-power charging infrastructure,” notes a UK Sales Director at Tritium. “The key is matching the charging solution to the actual use case and working within limited site power availability.” Space Efficiency: Making Every Square Meter Count Many destination charging locations face unique space constraints that make infra- structure placement particularly challenging. Working a charger and associated bays into an existing site layout comes with challenges, so a compact solution is often essential. Solutions like Tritium’s RTM series address these challenges through compact designs that maximize parking space utilization. The RTM’s profile allows for installation in tight spaces and challenging configurations. “Space is at a premium in many destina- tion charging cases,” observes Thomas Her- bert at Opcharge UK. “The RTM’s design al- lows us to install charging points up against walls and in narrow parking bays. This flexi- bility often means the difference between a DC rapid charger scheme working, or having to revert back to much slower AC solutions.” Power Infrastructure: Working Within Reality Perhaps the most overlooked advantage of lower-power destination charging is its com- patibility with existing electrical infrastruc- ture. Many existing destination charging loca- BACK GROUND tions struggle with limited electrical capacity, making high-power charging installations complex and expensive. Lower-power solutions work within these constraints rather than against them through intelligent load management systems that allow multiple lower-power units to share available electrical capacity, optimizing power distribution without requiring infra- structure upgrades. A Technical Director at Tritium explains: “The RTM range is specifically designed to work with existing electrical infrastructure. We can install a comprehensive charging so- lution using the power that’s already availa- ble on-site, then scale up intelligently as the property’s EV charging needs evolve.” Looking Forward: The Smart Approach to Destination Charging As the UK moves toward its 2030 petrol and diesel vehicle ban, destinations that deploy smart, scalable charging infrastructure to- day will be best positioned for tomorrow’s EV-dominant landscape. “The properties that succeed in the EV transition will be those that think strategi- cally about their charging infrastructure,” concludes a representative from Opcharge UK. “It’s not about installing the most pow- erful chargers available—it’s about creating sustainable, profitablecharging solutions that serve real customer needs.” A representative from Tritium adds: “The RTM series represents exactly this kind of strategic thinking. It’s engineered for the specific requirements of destination charg- ing: reliable, space-efficient, and designed to work within the real-world constraints that UK properties face.” Making the Right Choice for Your Property For destinations considering EV charging in- frastructure, the message is clear: focus on solutions that match your specific use case rather than being swayed by maximum pow- er specifications that may not align with your operational reality. The future of destination charging isn’t about the fastest possible charging—it’s about the smartest possible charging that balances customer needs, property con- straints, and long-term profitability. ■ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 43
BACK GROUND Fraunhofer IAO, QUINTA Consulting patterns as closely as airport parking. Vacation periods, public holidays, and major events are fixed several months or even years in advance. This is precisely when avail- able parking space reaches its limits and re- quires operationally and economically effi- cient management. Until now, many airports have relied on static rate tables, seasonal dif- ferentiation, or manual adjustments. A re- search consortium consisting of Fraunhofer IAO, QUINTA Consulting, and an international airport is now demonstrating for the first time how artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately predict demand for parking spaces and opti- mally adjust parking prices—with tangible benefits for operators, the environment, and passengers alike. Starting Point: Lots of Data, Little Transparency A large amount of information converges at an international airport every day: passen- ger numbers, flight movements, reservation Optimized Parking Prices Thanks to Artificial Intelligence – A Look Behind the Scenes of an International Research Project Few industries follow seasonal demand data, payment transactions. However, this data is rarely analyzed systematically in terms of how to efficiently manage available parking space. The existing data sources pro- vide ideal conditions for using AI to generate an integrated view of future parking space utilization – the necessary basis for, among other things, optimally adjusting parking prices to demand in real time. The aim of the “AI-enabled parking space pricing” research project is therefore to develop a forecasting and pricing model that addresses the follow- ing three questions: 1. How high will parking space utilization be in the coming hours, days, and months? 2. How much are travelers willing to pay at different times for available parking spac- es? 3. What price keeps utilization as stable as possible or optimizes revenue without compromising customer satisfaction? Data and methodology For the forecasting model, all available data sets were first harmonized: parking transac- tions (entries and exits, parking duration, fees paid), passenger numbers (arrivals/de- partures by destination and time), school vacations and public holidays, and infra- structure changes as well as temporary clo- sures or capacity expansions. An AI-based time series model learns from historical patterns and generates gran- ular forecasts for parking space utilization over the next twelve months. The quality of the model is measured using “explained var- iance”[1]; values of over 92% were achieved in the test data set. This means that the AI forecasting model developed explains 92% of the variance in the test data, leaving only 8% of the variability unexplained. This indi- cates very good model performance. In preparation for parking price mode- ling, an online customer survey was con- ducted among more than 1,000 passengers, using a price sensitivity meter (PSM) to de- termine their willingess-to-pay for different parking spaces. Three different elasticity Modeling demand Modeling the relationship between price and booking probability using regression or gradient boosting techniques. Define optimization goal Define various selectable pricing strategies (e.g., yield = max. revenue, occupancy = max. utilization, balanced = mix). The selected strategy determines the AI's target function and controls all subsequent price adjustments. Develop pricing engine Implement classic optimisation tech- niques such as MILP or stochastic pro- gramming to calculate optimal prices. Algorithms continuously learn from demand/booking behaviour and dyna- mically shift price limits according to the selected strategy. - 1 Develop scenario handling Optimisation for conservative, neutral and optimistic scenarios to adjust the pricing strategy to the latest forecast. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Process model for developing a dynamic pricing algorithm 44 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
Price (ld) Li% from start Price (lw) Li% from start Utilisation (simulated) Utilisation (actual) 20 Price (L'.1% from start) vs capacity utilisation � 15 0 ) '-' % t:'. CO ...., l/l .0 10 ( t r a t s CO m O'l o C r :::J ,._ i 5 f e g n C a :CO ,._ h c (1) > l/l e c -� 0 i r P Cl. -5 BACK GROUND 1.0 0.8 0.6 gi :::J ...., l/l n o i t a CO z i l/l l i :::J t U <{ 0.4 0.2 '--------�-------------�--------------�-------------�--------------�--...._ 0.0 2024-06-24 2024-07-01 2024-06-03 2024-06-10 2024-06-17 Visualization of a pricing strategy based on the AI algorithm on synthetic data scenarios were derived from the survey re- sults: conservative, neutral, and optimistic. From forecast to price recommen- dation The AI model generates utilization forecasts for individually definable parking periods. Based on this, an optimization algorithm combines these forecasts with the deter- mined price elasticity. The result is a price recommendation that stabilizes the utiliza- tion of each available parking space for each scenario. For example, at the start of the vacation period from Friday to Sunday, there is high demand for parking spaces in important source markets. The AI algorithm suggests an increase in parking prices of up to +12% for parking spaces close to the terminal at the airport, while long-term parking spaces remain inexpensive. The final pricing deci- sion is deliberately left to the revenue man- agement team: price suggestions are visual- ized in a dashboard, including expected utili- zation, additional risk indicators. This allows a decision to be made in just a few minutes as to whether the price suggested by the AI should be accepted or manually overridden. revenue, and Conclusion 1. Optimized utilization of parking spaces through intelligent price incentives: The AI-enabled pricing model creates target- ed incentives for a more balanced utiliza- tion of available parking spaces. Price 2. incentives motivate customers to use less popular parking areas: Long-term parking spaces see reduced turnover and longer parking times, while flexible pricing ensures that short-term parking spaces remain available at short lenghts of stay. For the car park management at an airport, this results in significantly improved space management with re- duced bottlenecks and optimized capac- ity utilization. Increased price transparency through digital booking channels: AI-optimized parking prices are initially implemented via the airport's online booking system, giving customers complete transparency about all parking prices available at the time of booking. Unlike opaque surge pricing models, travelers can better un- derstand the pricing rationale and make well-informed purchasing decisions. Digital advance booking also allows price-conscious parkers to plan better and benefit from cheaper rates by book- ing early. Outlook The AI-enabled pricing model will be tested in a pilot parking lot at the airport to meas- ure effects, evaluate functionalities, and gain a deeper understanding of customer price elasticity. With this pilot project, an airport is introducing AI-enabled parking prices into operational use for the first time, proving that intelligent AI algorithms can not only increase revenue in parking, but also help to better smooth out traffic peaks and improve the parking experience – a win-win situation for operators, travelers, and the whole envi- ■ ronment alike. If you would like to know more, please con- tact Philipp Göbels or Mark Friesen. We would be happy to work with you to develop a dynamic pricing strategy for your parking spaces. Fraunhofer IAO will also present at the EPA Conference 2025 – see p. 20, ‘3.6 AI in Parking and Mobility (Sponsored Workshop by Quinta Consulting)’. 3. Data-driven operational optimization: The AI-enabled forecasting model con- tinuously generates valuable insights in- to demand patterns, parking and usage behavior, and price elasticity. This infor- mation enables evidence-based devel- opment of the parking strategy, e.g., with regard to long-term investment deci- sions for capacity expansions or infra- structural adjustments. Authors: Vincent Philipp Göbels, Fraunhofer IAO Dr. Mark Friesen, QUINTA Consulting Dr. Janika Kutz, Fraunhofer IAO Dr. Bernd Bienzeisler, Fraunhofer IAO [1] Explained variance is a statistical measure that indicates how much of the variability in the de- pendent variables (target variables) is explained by the model. Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 45
INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS CAME Parkare | Exhibitor at 21st EPA Conference & Exhibtion, booth A18 Parking Solutions for Different Target Groups T he MEDICPLAZA Health Center in Ger- man Waiblingen near Stuttgart offers a parking area with 109 parking spaces for visi- tors and customers and one parking area for employees. The use of this paid parking area in Waiblingen has been extended to all users except the customers of the medical facility and the restaurants for whom parking will be free of charge. The CAME group was commis- sioned to install the parking system. Customer Needs The parking lot will be used for day visitors, while also providing parking spaces for em- ployees and clients of the medical centre. Restaurant and medical office operators should be able to validate tickets to allow their customers to park for free. Two parking spaces are available to visitors on the premises of the medical centre, each of which can be accessed via a separate driveway. Both entrances are equipped with an entry terminal that issues a parking ticket with a QR code from a paper roll with a capacity of 6,000 tickets via a request button. Each parking lot has a pay station that can be used to pay with coins, banknotes, credit/debit cards or NFC. The machine gives change when paying in cash. For short drives in, for example to drop Nordisk Profil Depending on the customer group: The parking solution combines various functions and requirements in a single system. off a person for a doctor’s appointment, a time frame has been defined in which the person can drive out again free of charge. In addition, ticket validators are available to doctors and restaurants, which can be used to validate parking tickets as paid in order to enable cus- tomers to park free of charge in general. The exit is done by scanning the QR code of the paid or validated tickets at the exit ter- minal. The barriers are equipped with LED lighting that provides a traffic light function via red and green. The terminals are also equipped with LED lighting that provides vis- ual feedback on the status. A VoIP intercom system is integrated into the terminals and checkout automation, which customers can use to request help in the event of a fault. Employee Parking Area The employee parking area is equipped with a CAME Parkare PKE Slim entry terminal and a GARD GT4 barrier. Employees gain access to the parking lot via the RFID reader inte- grated into the entry terminal. To leave, the barrier opens automatically when a vehicle approaches. The operator manages the em- ployees’ long-term parking cards using the Lince7 parking management software. ■ Danish Car Park with Stylish Aluminium Façade T he Danish city of Aalborg is home to four Nordisk Profil car parks, which feature aluminium panels in the form of the Napsu façade system as the main façade material. One of these is Kornmøllen P2, which creates a very exciting look with its inverted façade strips and various elements. The car park is an example of how other materials can be integrated, in this case in the form of bricks, which give the large building a touch of warmth. 100 Percent Collected and Recycled Aluminium According to its own statements, Nordisk Profil attaches great impor- tance to climate-friendly and environmentally conscious products. That is why the Danish façade specialist guarantees complete documentation with the EPD values of the market and uses only Greenline Aluminium, which consists of 100 percent collected and recycled aluminium. ■ The Kornmøllen P2 car park in Aalborg was designed by the architectural firm Studio Sangberg using Nordisk Profil’s Napsu façade system. 46 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 e r a k r a P E M A C © l i f o r P k s i d r o N ©
INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS Hectronic Scan Car for Parking Operations W aldshut-Tiengen in southern Germany continues to drive the digitalization of parking. Following the introduction of Hec- tronic’s Citea parking machines with inte- grated license plate functionality and the complete elimination of paper tickets, the next milestone is now underway: the intro- duction of a scan car. Equipped with camer- as and laser technology, these vehicles auto- matically detect parking activity—naturally in compliance with GDPR and the highest data protection standards. Successfully Tested in Belgium Once again, the city of Waldshut-Tiengen can rely on Citea: Automated parking enforce- ment is based on license plates recorded at the Citea machines, which are made availa- ble to the scan car. The interaction between these parking machines and scan cars has been tested in real-world use—such as in Belgium, where similar processes have been successfully implemented for over 15 years. Hectronic c i n o r t c e H © Scan cars facilitate parking enforcement by authorities. According to Hectronic, this leads to more efficient and comprehensive parking space monitoring, fairer control for all road users, relief in the face of a shortage of skilled workers in local authorities, and fewer errors thanks to digital number plate recognition. Bottom line: a real boost of innovation for everyday municipal operations, with pilot operations set to begin in the first half of 2026! ■ Expanding Payment Options for Lisbon L isbon is known for its stunning historic city centre, which has for many years been tastefully complemented by Hectronic parking meters in gentian blue – a colour that blends harmoniously into the city’s iconic streetscape. Together with local part- ner Soltráfego, Hectronic is continuously ex- panding the payment options available at the meters. Very soon, drivers in Lisbon and other cit- ies like Faro will be able to pay using MB WAY – Portugal’s most popular mobile payment service. With over 94 per cent of the popula- tion using MB WAY in their daily lives, inte- grating it into the terminals was the logical next step, says Hectronic. In the coming months, more than 1,200 parking machines in Lisbon will support MB WAY payments. ■ Parking trend international | no. 3-2025 Team members from Hectronic recently visited Lisbon to participate in the first live tests of the new payment feature MB WAY. c i n o r t c e H © 47
INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS Scheidt & Bachmann Parking Solutions | Exhibitor at 21st EPA Conference & Exhibtion, booth A1 PBW Goes Live with Cloud-Based Parking System The PBW – Parkraumgesellschaft Ba- and offers seamless, ticketless access for both visitors and employees. n n a m h c a B & t d e h c S © i entervo infinite PBW relies on entervo infinite, the cloud-native parking management system from Scheidt & Bachmann Parking Solutions, ensuring an effi- cient and future-ready parking experience. “We are one of the first operators on the market to use entervo infinite to offer our customers a fully digital parking experience,” says Anja Mül- ler, Managing Director of PBW. “Thanks to the consistently positive results, we’re committed to continuing our digitalisation journey.” ■ ) 2 ( s g n d i l i u B n o r t s A © Grand Angle car park in Voiron, France Anthony Moreau, Deputy Mayor for the Environment, Urban Planning, Construction and Mobility, says: “This ecologically designed car park is an important factor in our comprehensive urban development project. It allows us to reduce the number of above-ground parking spaces, plant more trees and create a more vibrant public space. It’s about redefining city life with a focus on comfort, sustainability and accessibility.” ■ den-Württemberg mbH is continuing its digitalisation strategy in collaboration with Scheidt & Bachmann Parking Solu- tions: a new cloud-native parking system has just been successfully launched in Reut lingen. Following a professional planning phase and smooth on-site implementation, the project was completed on schedule, and the car park went into operation without delay. For drivers, parking is now even easi- er and more convenient. The modern sys- tem includes a total of 125 parking spaces Astron Buildings Eco-Designed Car Park T he Grand Angle car park in Voiron, France, opened this summer. Designed by Astron Mobility, this eco-friendly four-storey car park is intended to be an important step for the city on its journey towards a greener and more pedestrian-friendly city centre. Grand Angle is part of a larger urban project aimed at making Voiron’s city centre greener and more welcoming. The new car park has 239 parking spaces and is designed to reduce the number of cars parked on the streets. This will create more space for walking, cycling and enjoying city life. A pleasant user experience will contribute to a positive experience of the city. Designed for citizens Wide, easily accessible spaces, secure bicycle parking, a community room for information and events related to cycling, and a DIY repair workshop give the building the character of a soft mobility hub. This is also in line with Voiron’s goals for clean mobility. The car park’s sustainable design includes a 1,250 m² photovolta- ic system, green façades with plants growing from the ground and natural lighting to reduce energy consumption. Architecture inspired by nature The car park was designed by architect BARBEYER and engineering firm Arcadis and built in collaboration with local company CHANUT. The building was designed to blend harmoniously into its surround- ings. It is located in the extension of a park and features a Douglas fir façade inspired by the nearby forests. Other visual highlights include planters, hanging greenery, a vegetable terrace, solar panels for shade, bright interiors with light colours and privacy screens to re- duce glare, noise and visual pollution. 48 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS Monit Data | Exhibitor at 21st EPA Conference & Exhibtion, booth A19 Dutch City of Tilburg Extends Services for Car and Bicycle Parking The Municipality of Tilburg and Monit Data have a long-standing and innovative partnership. This successful collaboration was recently extended for Monit’s Parkeermonitor and Vtag services, aligning with the municipality’s software procurement agreements. The Municipality of Tilburg in the Netherlands has been using Monit’s services for many years to get data-driven insights for park- ing policy and management. Collaboration began with the imple- mentation of the Parking Monitor software suite, which is currently used for reporting on occupancy, revenue, and enforcement. For bicycle parking, this was later complemented by Vtag, Monit Data’s service for fully digital management of bicycle parking facilities and subscriptions. Parking Monitor dashboard for City of Tilburg a t a D t i n o M © Parking Occupancy Measurements with Scan Car Data The partnership between Tilburg and Monit is characterised by in- novation. For instance, the municipality played a key role in devel- oping parking occupancy measurements using scan car data. This new module in Monit’s Parking Monitor enables enforcement scan cars already operating in the city to generate cost-effective and reliable occupancy analyses. Tilburg was also involved in imple- menting different user types for bicycle parking in Vtag, enabling better optimisation of bicycle storage facilities. The extension of Monit’s Parking Monitor and Vtag once again involved an innova- tive approach. The Municipality of Tilburg makes use of software procurement solutions, whereby a third party manages procure- ment and provides expertise in licensing, life-cycle management, and cost optimisation. In Tilburg, this is handled by Software & IT Procurement from Crayon. In consultation with Tilburg and Cray- ■ on, Monit Data has now joined this procurement solution. Move it f rom one vehicle to another! Mobile ANPR Simplified Drive Scan Manage No server, Cost effective, and Easy to install! MobileANPRSimplified
PRO SPECTS Calendar: International Parking Events 2025 22–24 October, 2025 Parkeringskonferanse Host: Norpark 19 November, 2025 Q-Park Student Award Thon Hotel Arena, Lillestrøm, Nieuwe Kerk The Hague, Norway Netherlands norpark.no/parkeringskonferanse/ https://www.q-park.com/expertise/ student-award 17–18 September, 2025 21st European Parking 30 October 2025 VEXPAN National Parking 20 November, 2025 All-Ireland Parking Show 2025 Conference & Exhibition Congress Dublin, The EGG, Brussels, Postillion Hotel en Convention Centre Ireland Belgium Utrecht, Netherlands www.epaconference.eu nationaalparkeercongres.nl https://landing.britishparking.co.uk/ allirelandparkingshow 24 September, 2025 Billogram Techaway 4–6 November, 2025 Smart City Expo World Congress 26–27 November, 2025 POLIS Conference 2025 2025 Stockholm, Sweden Fira Barcelona, Spain Beatrix Buildings (Royal Jaarbeurs), Utrecht, Netherlands www.billogram.com/events/ www.smartcityexpo.com www.polisnetwork.eu techaway-2025 15–17 October, 2025 PARKON 10–12 November, 2025 Airport Parking Network Event Parking Conference of the Serbian Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Parking Association Amsterdam, Netherlands Hotel Fruške Terme, Vrdnik-Serbia 2026 10–13 March, 2026 Intertraffic Amsterdam RAI Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.parkon.rs/ https://apne.parkingevent.com/ www.intertraffic.com/amsterdam 21–23 October, 2025 20th SPA Parking Conference 18–20 November, 2025 Salon de Maires High Tatras, Slovakia Portes de Versailles, Paris, France 28–29 May, 2026 AIPARK PDays Florence, Italy sekretariat@spa-parking.sk www.salondesmaires.com/en/ www.pdays.eu/pdays parkopolis Imprint Parking trend international is published by Maenken Kommunikation GmbH, Cologne/Germany, in cooperation with European Parking Association aisbl Rue d’Arlon 25, 1050 Brussels www.europeanparking.eu Publishing House (responsible for editorial, adver- tising, production and circulation) Maenken Kommunikation GmbH Von-der-Wettern-Straße 25 51149 Cologne/Germany www.maenken.com Phone +49(0) 22 03/35 84-0 Fax +49(0) 22 03/35 84-185 Frequency: 4 x per year Circulation: 4,100 copies Unit price: see cover, plus forwarding expenses Publisher Dr. Wieland Mänken Editorial Team Marko Ruh (Chief Editor) pti@maenken.com Tom Antonissen (EPA Executive Director) Pauline Caublot (Research & Projects Manager) Yasmin Jefferies (Membership Development & Social Media Manager) Vasiliki Orfanaki (Operations Manager) Joanne Sutcliffe (Public Relations Manager) epa@europeanparking.eu Advertising Team Wolfgang Locker (Publication Manager) Phone +49(0) 22 03/35 84-182 wolfgang.locker@maenken.com Print Shop Silber Druck oHG, Lohfelden (Germany) 50 Parking trend international | no. 3-2025
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