Robotic parking

Can it be a turning point in urban mobility and sustainability?

- VAISHALI DAR

As Indian cities buckle under the pressure of soaring vehicle ownership, over 300 million registered vehicles and more, traditional parking methods are proving inefficient and unsustainable. Robotic car parking systems powered by automation, AI, and mechanical engineering are emerging as a vital solution to this pressing urban challenge. It relies on automated systems, and robotic shuttles to park and retrieve vehicles, eliminating the need for manual parking and maneuvering.

This month, Delhi will get its first robotic car parking system in Greater Kailash I. The project, costing ₹63.7 crore, will accommodate 399 cars with the sole aim to ease traffic congestion in the market area. A multi-level shuttle facility will automate the parking process, eliminating the need for human-driven parking, ramps, and winding pathways. It also offers enhanced security, with restricted human access and surveillance cameras. The project is developed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

That's not all. Swiss automated parking solutions major Sotefin SA's Indian subsidiary, Sotefin Bharat, is supporting indigenous manufacturing of robots for automated parking systems in West Bengal. The parking solutions company has planned an ₹80-crore IPO to support and build a manufacturing facility of parking robots for automated parking in West Bengal.