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Government debut: Vehicle-mounted scanner checks for fraudulent parking

Federal State of Baden-Württemberg initiates trial of vehicle scanning technology for managing parking spaces. University of Hohenheim leads the charge, paving the way for expanded adoption in municipalities. Numerous cities have shown eagerness to jump on board.

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Vehicle-mounted scanner used to identify illicit parking violations by federal authorities
Vehicle-mounted scanner used to identify illicit parking violations by federal authorities

Baden-Württemberg Introduces Digital Parking Enforcement Technology

Government debut: Vehicle-mounted scanner checks for fraudulent parking

Baden-Württemberg has become the first federal state in Germany to implement digital parking space monitoring, revolutionizing traffic safety and enforcement in cities. This innovative approach, often utilizing License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, promises to significantly improve the efficiency of enforcement and enhance community safety.

Enhancing Traffic Safety and Enforcement

The new system automates the process of checking license plates against databases of authorized parkers, reducing the need for manual checks and enhancing patrolling accuracy. This leads to more efficient enforcement and reduced dispute rates. Proper parking enforcement also helps ensure that vehicles are not obstructing critical areas such as fire lanes or emergency exits, thereby facilitating smoother emergency responses and reducing congestion risks.

By analyzing violation patterns, cities can identify high-risk areas and schedule patrols more effectively, contributing to better traffic flow and community safety. The technology is already being successfully used in cities across Europe, including Poland, France, and the Netherlands.

The implementation of digital parking space monitoring in Baden-Württemberg adheres to federal and state laws, including the Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung) and local ordinances. Municipalities have the authority to establish their own parking regulations, which can include designating parking areas, setting time limits, and imposing fines for violations.

Data privacy is a critical concern when implementing digital parking space monitoring. Only the minimum necessary data should be collected and stored, typically limited to license plate numbers and timestamps of parking events. Ensuring that data processing practices comply with GDPR principles, such as transparency, consent, and data minimization, is essential. Implementing robust security measures to protect collected data against unauthorized access or breaches is vital.

In some cases, data may need to be anonymized to prevent identification of individuals. The data-sparing solution for the use of scan vehicles has been approved by the State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information in Baden-Württemberg.

The Cityscanner Project

The project, named "Cityscanner", uses a compact car equipped with cameras on the roof to record and compare license plates of parked vehicles with a database. The system captures an image of the parked car, the license plate, the location, and the time of the check. If scan vehicles capture pedestrians, they are automatically pixelated.

Given the lack of personnel, the interest of cities in digital parking space monitoring is very high. The aim of digital parking space control is not to generate revenue, but to improve efficiency and safety. The scanners used in the "Cityscanner" project can also recognize vehicles parked on bike paths and bus lanes.

The "Cityscanner" can scan up to 1000 vehicles per hour, significantly more than a parking warden who can manage 50. Every fifth accident in urban areas is due to a wrongly parked vehicle. Insufficient enforcement of parking rules can lead to chaos and encourage disregard for traffic rules, according to the city association.

Looking Forward

The freed-up personnel from digital parking space control could be deployed at hotspots, such as school routes. The Minister of Transport for the state of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Hermann (Greens), presented a pilot project for digital parking space monitoring. No fines for wrong parkers will be incurred during the initial test phase of the project at the University of Hohenheim.

The new Mobility Act permits municipalities to use scan vehicles for control purposes. The system is designed to make parking enforcement more efficient, effective, and fair, ultimately contributing to safer and smoother traffic flow in cities across Baden-Württemberg.

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