I like to stay apprised of current events and I recently read about the threat of impending worldwide devastation due to melting ice in Antarctica. Scientists say the damage global warming has done to the icecaps is now irreversible. They’ve sounded the warning and report that the worst is yet to come – in about 800 years.
I take global warming seriously and do my best to keep my carbon footprint minimal, but 800 years is hard to get excited – or terrified – about. As I read the news I started to think we need to stop worrying about the cure for cancer or the next big thing in parking, because if we don’t give up our cars and fossil fuels we’d all be dead anyway. But we have an 800 year reprieve.
It’s the same with another bit of news I read regarding parking technology. An article published on readwrite.com says that parking intelligence offered by Xerox could end the search for parking.
As we enter an era of highly connected cars, these enterprise-level transportation systems—software and hardware—could fundamentally change the thing most people like least about operating a motor vehicle: parking.
Before everyone in the parking industry panics, consider the timeline for a world where everyone drives a highly-connected car. I hate to think I’ll be the last geezer driving a plain old Toyota that doesn’t find me parking spots, cut my hair, or flip off other drivers for me, but it’s possible. I have a smartphone and it’s an amazing tool, but lots of people still use land lines and regular old “dumb” phones.
When it comes to the integration of any new car technology, human nature will be the biggest factor in the speed of that integration. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before my car can cook my eggs just the way I like them, but it’s bound to happen. I’m going to hazard a guess and say these amazing advances in driving and parking will come to pass well before ice from Antarctica melts and we all drown. But it will take a long time for everyone in the world to accept a car that’s smarter than they are. The good news is that the parking industry has a glimpse of the future and can begin to prepare for that future.
Read the article here.
2 Responses
As a consultant, it’s my job to find efficient solutions to problems. In this case, I propose we train the polar bears to park our cars (and cook our eggs). Win/win!
Google “carbeque” 🙂