AUTOMATED PARKING

AUTOMATED PARKING – EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE?
REMARKS ON APPLICATION AND PERFORMANCE.
Dr.-Ing. habil. Ilja IRMSCHER
GIVT mbH, Berlin - GERMANY
Public appointed expert of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce for parking and parking systems, Berlin - GERMANY
Abstract
When it comes to the subject of automated parking one phenomenon often occurs: the
enthusiasm is great, the technological options seem to be unlimited, and the idea of
comfortable high tech parking for everybody seems to be within reach. The situation in reality
is quite different, beginning with concrete planning and questions of economics and
performance.
1. Automated parking: different countries - different markets – different perceptions
When arguing and discussing on an optimal parking solution for a respective project anywhere in the
world, one fact is obvious: the perception and the application of automated parking systems differs to a
high degree depending on the local situation and culture.
Key question to ask is: what do you want to achieve by implementing an automated parking system
resp. what is the strongest motive? Strongly linked by the question for what kind of cars and what kind
of users you build parking space.
Do you want to create parking space, as much and as space saving and cost efficient as possible like
in lots of Asian states like Japan, Taiwan or South Korea? Here you can find mainly tower systems or
vertical paternoster systems on a sometimes poor technological level, but they serve the purpose.
Aspects of urban integration regarding design and cubing are of less importance.
Or do you follow the idea of high tech parking for an exclusive user group as status symbol,
independent from reasons of space like some projects in the Emirates do reflect? Luxury design and
the highest state of technology are important components of planning here.
These are examples which highlight the extremes. But accordingly to these parameters, markets are
structured and quality and costs differ, even in Central Europe. Italy for example has a long tradition in
automated parking, whereas in Germany automated parking systems were built only at high-quality
locations, if the necessary number of parking spaces could not be realized by “conventional” parking in
the desired standard. Furthermore high ecological, urban and technical demands and long life circles
are required here.
The matter of creating parking space parking in urban environments will stay on top of the agenda.
And in many cities, especially in cities with historical structures (like in Rome, Istanbul, etc.) huge
problems with the creation of parking space arose in the last decades and will arise, facing the steadily
growing motorization in most of the countries and cities. In that case, automated parking can be a real
solution.
The European motorization rates still grow, mainly because of the catch-up development of countries
like Poland or for example Turkey, with its enormous economic growing rates. Here simply the
creation of parking space is necessary to satisfy the increasing demand in the big metropolises like
Istanbul, hand in hand with parking concepts, to avoid that traffic becomes an obstacle to
development.
Other countries, like Germany, show in contrast a clear saturation, intensified by a development
towards an environmentally friendly mobility. Here the quality of parking space is of great importance.
700
600
500
EU 27
400
Italy
300
Germany
Poland
200
Istanbul
100
0
2001
2006
2009
2011 exp.
Figure 1. Motorization rates in the EU, selected countries and Istanbul
(source: eurostat, www.gtai.de)
2. Regulations and norms
Precisely because the disparities in requirements on automated parking, high importance should be
attached to land specific and international regulations and norms. In Germany resp. Europe the
following general regulations and norms are of importance:
•
European Standard Concerning Design and Safety - EN 14010 (1)
Safety of machinery - Equipment for power driven parking of motor vehicles - Safety and EMC
requirements for design, manufacturing, erection and commissioning stages
•
Recommendations for Car Parking Facilities - EAR 05 (2)
The new German parking guidelines
•
Directions for Application - VDI-Richtlinie 4466 (3)
Automatic parking systems - Basic principles
The EAR 05 and the VDI direction are going beyond the minimum legal requirements on automated
parking systems and include concrete demands for planning and installation. These papers show the
actual state of the art and give a valuable orientation for customers and planners as well as for the
manufacturers itself.
3. Planning and performance
Automated parking is well-known for quite a time; however, it is a technology which requires special
know-how from planning to operation to fully exploit all its potentials. This special requirement results
from the interdisciplinary complexity of automated parking systems. So, an integrated planning
approach is the sine qua non when planning automated parking (from traffic connection, architecture,
construction, building services etc. to operation).
General rules for the appropriateness of certain types/layouts of automated parking systems in relation
to specific projects do not exist; in that case nearly everything is possible. But the EAR 05 gives some
orientation.
Location
Quality demands
of the location
Local garage
high
average
Hotel garage
average / high
Office building
very high, garage
attendant
average
high
Airport
Large train station
Large city garage
P + R Parking
Shopping centre
Public garage
high
very high, valet
parking, garage
attendant
average
high
average / high
Parking
Spaces
Automated parking systems
1
++
++
2
++
++
++
+
+
++
++
++
20 - 200
++
(++)
(++)
(++)
10 - 20
20 - 80
80 - 200
20 - 40
> 40
+
+
+
+
+
++
++
+
++
+
++
20 - 40
> 40
10 - 20
80 - 150
20 - 40
> 40
++
+
up to several
thousands
20 - 200
200 – 1.000
80 – 1.000
100 – 1.000
(++)
3
4
++
++
+
+
+
(+)
(++)
(++)
(++)
(++)
(++)
(+)
(+)
+
(+)
(+)
+
Legend:
1
2
Cycle moving parker (pallet shifting system)
Shelf parker with central vertical conveyor (tower system) with
max. triple storage depth
3
Parking shelves (high bay warehouse systems with storage and
retrieval unit)
Parking shelves (shuttle lift systems)
4
no entry - not recommended
+
-appropriate
++
-especially appropriate
()
-as of 2009, not yet realized in
Germany
Figure 2. Examples for the standards-related appropriateness of different automated parking systems
in accordance with EAR 05 (source: EAR 05)
For large systems up to 1000 parking spaces and public parking shelf parker with shuttle lift systems
and high bay warehouse systems with storage and retrieval machine can be considered as most
suitable. Pallet less systems can be preferred in this case, pallet systems are also conceivable. To
reach a convenient system performance 1 transfer cabin is recommended for 40 to 80 parking spaces.
Never the less an open selection of the parking system is necessary in the beginning to find an optimal
parking solution for the respective project. A list of basic requirements should be developed
nonetheless to assure a reliable installation, as well as an exact traffic dimensioning, which defines to
a high degree the system performance.
The ADAC-requirements for Automated Parking Systems (General German Automobile Club)
provide an important guideline to define general demands on the quality of automated parking
systems and include as well concrete exemplarily figures. The ADAC certified by today 4 automated
parking systems in Germany. Some of the most important points are listed below.
ADAC Criteria
Traffic connection to perform in relation to EAR 05.
1 transfer cabin for not more than 60 parking spaces.
The parkable vehicle dimensions must cover all current passenger cars.
Intuitive user guidance for parking in and parking out procedures.
Parking in and out in drive forward direction.
Transfer cabins have to be designed sufficiently broad.
Transfer cabins have to be leveled like walking areas.
The personal user time for permanent users, defined in VDI 4466, is on average 45
seconds, for public use 60 s.
System emptying time according to the requirements of the EAR 05, max. 2 h.
Average retrieval time must also correspond to the requirements of the EAR 05
(max. 90s - 150s).
During the opening time service personnel must be attainable at any time for the users.
A teleservice system is expected.
The parking system should have a regular service and maintenance routine.
Safety and control systems for the users must be implemented.
The availability according VDI 3581 should amount to at least 99%.
Figure 3. Selected ADAC Criteria (source: ADAC)
Here main performance criteria of the system are already mentioned. The required system
performance is in close interrelation to the size of the system, the user profile (function), the traffic
connection and system configuration. Hence the operating times in automated parking systems
depend mainly on the number of conveyors (shuttles, lifts, SRM), the capacity of the conveyor system,
the storage depth, the number of transfer cabins and on the number simultaneously carried out
parking operations in one specific time interval (redundancy).
To make effective use of the available space, another point is crucial: automated parking systems are
to be designed for the project relevant vehicle dimensions. Vehicle dimensions and weights differ to a
high degree at recent times, what the following figure should demonstrate, and both extremes show
significant growth.
Model
Cadillac
Escalade ESV
2010
Toyota iQ 2010
Category
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
SUV
5.66 m
2.01 m
1.92 m
3.30 m
City-Car
2.98 m
1.68 m
1.50 m
2.00 m
Figure 4. Giant and dwarf (source: GIVT)
The space saving capacity of of automated parking systems is obvious. They can offer more efficient
use of surface and construction area primarily by replacing ramps and driving lanes by driving and
shafts for the handling equipment. To analyse the car types to be parked in beforehand is therefore of
great importance for the level of efficiency in means of space, cost and availability, that the system
could achieve ideally
Figure 5. Donnersbergerstraße (source: GIVT)
In Munich, Donnersbergerstraße, only 115 parking spaces would have been provided by using a
conventional design (underground car park) instead of 284 with an automated parking system. The
specific reason for this is the particularly narrow solidium. Theoretically 350 parking spaces were
possible on construction site.
In case of an feasibility study done by GIVT for an German Airport a conventional multi-storey car park
with a maximum of 890 parking spaces would have been possible in the given cubature. An average
of 1.800 parking spaces could be built in case of an automated parking system. The number of spaces
varies thereby pending upon system engineering between approximately 1.750 and 1.900.
Figure 6. Automated Parking at an airport (Source: GIVT)
4. Operation
Finally the specifics of a long term and cost saving operation are an essential and too often neglected
factor, which could entail high follow up costs. They make up a considerable share of the overall costs
of an automated parking system. After more or less 10 years a complete overhaul is needed (in a
scale of 10 to 30 % of the total investment, according to the German Engineering Federation),
because of a needed upgrade of the control (hardware, software etc.), apart from mechanical wear.
In order to ensure a stable operation, the software should be largely fault-tolerant and comply with the
principles needed in an intuitive user controller. The allocation of parking spaces and pallets in the
storage area requires an optimal logistics system, which usually controls the parking process in a
dynamic fashion.
5. Selected European examples for operating automated parking systems
The automated parking systems presented in the following section are examples for well functioning
systems. In the meantime lots of automated parking systems were installed all over Europe, but in the
majority of cases small systems for a fixed user group were build. Large systems for public use are
rare, as well as reliable figures on availability and performance. One of the most famous automated
parking systems for residents is the above mentioned Donnersbergerstraße in Munich, which is known
for its high availability and occupancy rate.
Donnersbergerstraße, Munich, Germany
The underground parking (see figure 6) was constructed under a street and consists of two parking
systems with 134 and 150 parking places. The shelf parkers with pallets have each four levels, 2
storage and retrieval machines and 2 transfer cabins. The average retrieval time is quite fast with 127
seconds. The high availability (over 99%) and user friendliness of the parking system made it very
popular amongst the residents since it opening in 2006, so there is a waiting list for the limited places.
Furthermore, the street once blocked by cars with little space and quality of stay for pedestrians know
got back its urban quality and atmosphere.
Figure 7. Photos parking system Donnersbergerstraße, Munich (Source GIVT; top left, lower left:
Landeshauptstadt München)
Bazilika, Budapest, Hungary
The automated parking system in front of the Bazilika below Iztvan ter can be characterized as
realized system in public use. It is implemented as underground shuttle lift system with 404 parking
spaces in 4 levels with 2 shuttles each and double deep storage. The 10 transfer cabins are located in
the basement and are served from 5 vertical conveyors. It is in continuous operation since autumn
2005.
Figure 8. Photos parking system Bazilika, Budapest (source: Wöhr)
Kopenhagen, Norre Alle
The underground parking system at Norre Alle in Kopenhagen comprises 164 parking spaces and is in
operation since June 2010. It is designed for a mixed user group of residents and visitors and has 2
transfer cabins, for transfer cars with satellite and 2 vertical lifts. Due to the short operation time no
reliable figures on performance and availability can be provided.
Figure 9. Photos parking system Norre Alle, Kopenhagen (Source: GIVT, lower left: Westfalia)
7. Concluding theses
As rapidly as new automation, storage and construction technologies advance and emerge, new
applications for automated parking are brought onto the market. In some cases it might be a stringent
necessity to start an innovative pilot project for a special location and its requirements, for other sites
standard solutions fit perfectly. Anyway, ifif one takes into consideration the short remarks above, an
automated parking system can be what it should be at its best: space saving, energy saving,
comfortable and even cost saving.
ving.
But:
•
Each manufacturer has its own technical solution, design and quality standard.
•
The
he overall operational performance of installations from the same type has to be checked
and compared
d beforehand.
beforehand
•
An automated parking system is not only conveying machinery.
machinery. The user needs to be guided
and the parking system must be safe and be fault-tolerant
fault tolerant at the same time.
•
The truth of investment and operating costs will appear after a longer time of operation and
should include besides scheduled maintenance, spares
spares and software upgrade.
•
A full service contract with 24h-service
24h service and mobility warranty is the best basis for long-life
long
operation.
•
An
n independent planning and consulting to define the functional and quality features of the
automated parking project right from the beginning saves time and money at later planning
stages.
Links
www.givt.de/en
www.adac.de
www.vdi.eu
References
(1) Safety of machinery- Equipment for power driven parking of motor vehicles - Safety and EMC requirements for design,
manufacturing, erection and commissioning stages; EN 14010:2003+A1:2009
(2) The new German parking guidelines, Forschungsgesellschaft für Straßen- und Verkehrswesen (FGSV), 2005
(3) VDI 4466 Automatic parking systems, basic principles, Association of German Engineers (VDI), 2001