San Sebastian uses sensors on disability parking spaces to counteract illegal parking

The installation of smart parking devices is being used in the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastian in order to counteract improper use by unauthorised drivers.

Significant inconvenience is caused daily to people with reduced mobility through the illegal occupation of these spaces, which are designed to allow greater room for moving with and assembling or disassembling a wheelchair, as well as providing safe access to buildings and services in a community. Technological innovation has offered a solution to this nuisance.   

The smart sensors work by asking drivers to confirm in an app that they have occupied a spot as a registered user with a disability. If an unlicensed driver occupies the spot, they will be unable to confirm and the system will automatically alert the authorities. Police officers will be able to issue tickets using the location signalled through the app. This functionality will also be able to guide users to available spots, as a consequence, reducing pollution spent idling and attempting to locate a space.

With the goal of setting up 350 devices, this smart mobility solution therefore addresses a range of issues from environmental sustainability to social justice, whilst also improving the parking experience for the users such parking bays have been designed for.

More information can be found here.