Maarten Wings from Bosch Security Systems shares a troubling experience with airport parking – and how technology can make it better.
Around 5:00am one winter morning, I set out for an airport. The way there always had traffic, and parking was always so stressful. This airport was my only option to reach meetings in two countries, so I drove off early, beginning my passenger experience for the day.
Maarten Wings, Global Vertical Manager Airports, Bosch Security Systems
At the airport, the lanes suddenly converged under parking and arrival signs that contradicted themselves. Confused, I veered off to the wrong parking garage. I had worked with smart intersection projects before, where video data helped analyse and improve traffic. But here was only confusion.
Pulling into the garage, I saw real-time signage indicating free parking spaces. Hundreds were displayed, but the first few levels were all full. To my surprise, the third level onwards was blocked for construction, so I doubled back to find another garage. But I wasn’t the only one. Cars were circling the ground level in a panic, speeding and driving the wrong way. The airport was apparently unaware of this dangerous situation even though smart cameras could have easily alerted the control room.
I reached the exit barrier, but my ticket had timed out. I called on the intercom for help. No answer. Running short on time, I got out of my car and found an airport worker who opened the barrier. I knew that video analytics could automatically detect a car stopping traffic at a barrier. Instead, I found myself getting out of my car and looking for help. Driving off, I could only hope to catch my flight.
Back outside, I had to make a long loop around the airport to find the other garage. I immediately drove in looking for free spots. With each level, I lost more time. I started to speed up and accidently scraped the side of my car against a pillar. As I finally parked, fully at my wits end, the flight was already boarding. I ran through the terminal to find my gate. Luckily, I did catch my plane, but I always remember how my passenger experience was ruined before I even reached the terminal. Parking technology could have prevented most of what went wrong that day. Our industry needs to shift from seeing cameras as a source of footage for after-the-fact analysis to a real-time data feed for improving the customer journey. Learn more at: https://www.boschsecurity.com/xc/en/industries/airports/
