Skip to main content

Xerox introduces smart grid parking system

Merge, a technology from Xerox provides municipalities with a central management system to manage parking operations, integrating hardware and software to provide real-time information about coin collections, meter maintenance, enforcement and occupancy by applying real-time data to solve parking issues. According to Xerox, Merge is the first system to fully integrate and provide analytics on all aspects of metered and off-street parking programs. Merge is built on an open architecture platform that enables
May 21, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Merge, a technology from 4186 Xerox provides municipalities with a central management system to manage parking operations, integrating hardware and software to provide real-time information about coin collections, meter maintenance, enforcement and occupancy by applying real-time data to solve parking issues. According to Xerox, Merge is the first system to fully integrate and provide analytics on all aspects of metered and off-street parking programs.
 
Merge is built on an open architecture platform that enables cities to plug and play any field technology or software system that manages parking operations – from parking space sensors and meters to handheld devices as well as the internet, smart phones, and dynamic message signs for real-time parking guidance.

Merge is also equipped with Xerox’s proprietary dynamic pricing engine that can be used to recommend parking rates based on historical data as well as adjust parking prices by predicting demand using data from current conditions.

“For the first time, parking managers have immediate visibility into what is happening on their streets,” said David Cummins, senior vice president of Parking and Justice Solutions, Xerox Transportation. “Now municipalities can make data-driven decisions on everything from meter collections to rate structures – improving performance and creating additional revenues.”
 
In Los Angeles, Merge is deployed as part of the City’s LA Express Park program, where Xerox’s algorithm-driven pricing model sets parking prices based on supply and demand, helping improve parking turn over and space availability and provide a better experience for drivers.
 
“Merge integrates both our back-end parking systems and in-field parking technology,” said Dan Mitchell, senior transportation engineer, City of Los Angeles, overseeing LA Express Park. “The central management capabilities provide valuable insight into our total parking environment and the open platform allows us to be flexible in sourcing suppliers.”

Related Content

  • March 31, 2017
    Smartphone solution for parking performance
    Automated parking offers optimised space utilisation and fewer damage complaints as David Crawford discovers. As cars become smarter, technology designed to make parking them more straightforward is developing in parallel. In turn, it is becoming clear that the places where vehicles spend much of their time will need to respond – more comprehensively than by supporting established aids such as smartphone-based parking location and reservation, or payment for time used.
  • February 3, 2012
    Flexibility, interoperability is key to future traffic management
    Jon Taylor of Faber Maunsell and Tabatha Bailey of Transport for London describe how an unusual mix of traffic practitioners, researchers and industry are working together to build new tools for the future. As we face higher expectations for managing congestion from both citizens and politicians, and as more and more data is becoming available from new sources, our traffic management challenge is changing.
  • December 1, 2023
    Umovity: Revolutionising mobility through innovative technologies
    United under the brand Umovity, PTV Group and Econolite join forces and introduce their new combined Mobility Tech Suite. The companies’ CEO Christian U. Haas explains the details
  • May 10, 2013
    McCain parking guidance system acquired by Swarco
    Swarco Traffic Americas has acquired the McCain parking business unit, which uses LED signs, single space indicators and software to provide real-time information to motorists and parking operators. The acquisition enables Swarco to further broaden its product offering in the United States with technology and project references that perfectly align with the company’s standards. McCain will continue to produce all of Swarco’s hardware through its contract manufacturing division that offers turnkey manufactur