Automatic Parking Systems

Vehicle parking is also a form of storage and is therefore one of the areas of expertise of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics.

So-called "stationary traffic" is a growing problem worldwide. One approach to solving this problem is automatically operated parking garages. They improve the utilisation of space and volume and allow areas such as basement rooms to be used for parking cars, which cannot be used effectively with conventional parking systems.

In addition to parking systems for cars, parking systems for bicycles have also come into focus recently. Projects have been carried out in both sections and new ideas have emerged.

Automatic parking systems for cars and bicycles: Projects have been carried out and new ideas developed in both areas.

An automatic parking system for cars has been developed in a joint development project between the start-up company Serva Transport Systems, Bernau, and the Fraunhofer IML.

Compared to existing automatic parking systems, no specific building equipment in the form of rails, shelves, etc. is required. It can therefore be used in any conventional car park, especially as a retrofit. The patent-pending process consists of free-moving, length-adjustable automated guided vehicles (AGVs) with laser navigation and laser sensors for measuring cars. The AGVs can thus automatically pick up, drop off and transport cars.

By reducing the traffic areas required for driving movements and due to the smaller distances between the automatically parked cars, the space utilisation rate is up to 40% higher than in conventional car parks. The simultaneous use of several AGVs also enables high system performance to be achieved.