Got another call this morning from a researcher who I am certain was hired by a company to research the "automated/mechanical" market in the US. He didn’t like what I told him.
I gave him the name of a consultant who did a lot of research on the subject, and he said that he had already tried that consultant and he didn’t have a lot to say. I didn’t have a lot to say, either.
The Automated market in the US is nonexistent, due primarily to the lack of commitment by the manufacturers of these mechanical marvels. There have been literally thousands of proposals from a dozen different companies, but to no avail.
To date, I know of only two, up and running, fully automated parking structures in the US. Hoboken, and one in Washington DC. If you know of any others, let me know.
This is a niche within a niche and requires a lot of good marketing and shepherding to get the job done. Simply responding to a rfq won’t do it.
Since such garages are typically 50% more expensive than more standard garages, on a per space basis, I would suggest that they are most appropriate in locations where they are the only alternative.
JVH
