The municipal website of the northern Spanish city of Santander reported earlier last week that an agreement had been signed between the City Council and the University of Cantabria for a project that will inspect and upgrade the smart parking management system that has been operating there since 2013. The duration of the initiative is expected to last two months and the local government will contribute almost 17 000 euros to it.
Smart parking systems facilitate drivers’ lives and help reduce carbon emissions
The agreement was signed between the Mayor of Santander, Gema Igual and the UC rector, Ángel Pazos, although the money will be transmitted through the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Foundation, a non-profit specializing in the promotion of tech research done at the academic institution.
As for the project – it concerns the detailed inspection of the electronic sensors and panels located in Zone 30 of the Cantabrian capital. These are wireless inground parking sensors which detect whether a vehicle is occupying a particular spot and are able to transmit this data of availability to nearby drivers.
This system has greatly contributed to Santander’s ambition to become a functional Smart City, which offers solutions for its residents and benefits not only their lives but also the urban environment. After all, less driving around means fewer emissions, less traffic congestion, less noise pollution and reduced stress for the drivers.
Nevertheless, as time goes by a city infrastructure undergoes changes, which is why it was deemed necessary to reconfigure the existing parking management system and upgrade it, so it reflects the current situation and urban layout.
The sensors will undergo recalibration and connectivity testing. Furthermore, more possibilities will be studied whether the system can be upgraded in such a way as to offer even more value to the drivers.
Source: TheMayor.EU
