‘Flying carpet’ automatic parking platforms to free up space and cut costs, Hong Kong’s Urban Renewal Authority chief says
- Wai Chi-sing elaborates on ambitious vision for next decade as part of official plans to turn Hong Kong into a ‘smart city’
Car platforms resembling flying carpets that automatically park vehicles could cut fees and vastly expand space, Hong Kong’s urban renewal chief said on Thursday while outlining his vision for the next decade.
Wai Chi-sing, managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), said each platform could cost up to HK$2 million (US$255,000), but parking fees would not necessarily go up as a result of the extra overheads.
A car park with 100 spaces would need two to four devices to provide a full service, he believed.
“Parking charges mainly depend on supply and demand,” he said. “If the smart system can add more parking slots ... it may help cut the price.”
Such systems would also mean cars could be parked in hard-to-reach spaces even if the size or shape was irregular. Drivers and passengers would leave their cars and let the robot park them in a space that best fit. The space between cars usually left for people to exit their vehicles would therefore be eliminated, reducing land needs and slashing construction costs, he said.
