Bupyeong District in Incheon, South Korea, is set to officially operate an automated public parking lot using autonomous driving robots. (Image courtesy of Bupyeong District)
INCHEON, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Starting in March, Bupyeong District in Incheon, South Korea, is set to officially operate an automated public parking lot using autonomous driving robots.
The district announced on January 17 that the parking facility, located underground in Galsan-dong Gulpo Food Town, is part of a broader urban renewal initiative.
Constructed as a part of the Urban Regeneration New Deal project last September, the parking lot can accommodate 60 vehicles. The district invested 1.7 billion won to integrate an automated parking system into the facility.
With the new system, drivers leave their cars at an entrance area, where autonomous robots on standby underground transport the vehicles to parking spaces using a platform.
These autonomous driving robots are capable of freely transporting vehicles weighing up to 2.3 tons, excluding the weight of the platform.
The parking facility, located underground in Galsan-dong Gulpo Food Town, is part of a broader urban renewal initiative. (Image courtesy of Bupyeong District)
Bupyeong District anticipates that this smart parking lot will contribute significantly to alleviating parking issues, as it is more space-efficient and reduces parking time compared to traditional parking lots.
Following a trial operation period ending next month, the district plans to gradually increase the number of parking spaces from 35 to 60 and operate the parking lot 24/7. The proposed parking fees are set to range between 800 and 1,200 won per hour.
A district official stated, “To our knowledge, this smart parking lot utilizing robots is the first of its kind in South Korea. So far, there have been no significant issues identified with the system.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
