Trial Using Sensors Could Lead to Auto Payments for Roadside Parking

Paying for roadside parking might become automatic in the future, if a planned trial to install sensors on the ground goes well.

- Esther Loi and Lee Nian Tjoe

These sensors embedded in the ground would be able to detect when a car drives into or leaves a roadside parking space, and communicate with the vehicle's onboard unit (OBU) via Bluetooth technology.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) called a tender on May 6 for proposals to study the effectiveness of such a system.

The agency told The Straits Times on May 29 that the study aims to test the viability of using Bluetooth communications to facilitate automated payment for roadside parking to make it more convenient for motorists.

These sensors would be flat and easily driven over by vehicles.

Currently, motorists pay for roadside parking either with paper parking coupons, or through the Parking.sg app.

This URA study is separate from other plans by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to also use the OBU for payments for roadside parking.

This feature, which the LTA intends to roll out when most vehicles have OBUs fitted, will require motorists to use the OBU's touchscreen display to start the parking session. The parking session ends automatically when the vehicle is driven out of the parking space.

LTA said it will "work with URA to review the outcome of this study in assessing any future deployment plans".