The Launch of “Smart Parking” Platform – The First Comprehensive Digital Parking Service in Qatar

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The Ministry of Transport reported that the launch of the Smart Parking service is part of the five smart sectors included in Smart Qatar Program (TASMU). The inauguration of this new service came as a result of concerted efforts between government entities, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Municipality, and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), with the aim of providing unified digital experience for drivers and car parking owners in Qatar. The Smart Parking service contains parking spaces in adjacent parking lots in vital roads and areas, such as Corniche and West Bay, in addition to more than 28,000 parking spots in Souq Waqif, Al Bidaa Park, Corniche, Gate Mall, Lusail, Msheireb, and others, as well as other parking lots that will be added to the app.

The launch of the Smart Parking service is part of the five smart sectors included in Smart Qatar Program (TASMU). The inauguration of this new service came as a result of concerted efforts between government entities, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Municipality, and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), with the aim of providing unified digital experience for drivers and car parking owners in Qatar. The Smart Parking service contains parking spaces in adjacent parking lots in vital roads and areas, such as Corniche and West Bay, in addition to more than 28,000 parking spots in Souq Waqif, Al Bidaa Park, Corniche, Gate Mall, Lusail, Msheireb, and others, as well as other parking lots that will be added to the app.

On this occasion, HE Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti said: "Developing a comprehensive, effective parking management framework supports the integrated transport system, which in turn helps set priorities and support the paradigm transformation of comprehensive, sustainable transport."

His Excellency added: “The Smart Parking project provides direct data, supported by best recommendations and real-time forecasts about available parking spaces, which enables reducing the mobility time for drivers on the roads and contributes to the achievement of a key performance indicator for the transportation sector, which is reducing traffic congestion and delays on the roads. The project also helps diminish environmental pollution by minimizing the duration of the car journey and the inefficient operation of the vehicle's engine, which directly reduces harmful emissions to the environment, in line with the strategic objectives of the transportation sector.”

His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said: “The launch of the Smart Parking project is an important step towards Smart Qatar, as it provides sustainable benefits and technologies to our community in Qatar. The Smart Parking service seeks to increase the efficiency of using parking lots and provide drivers with access to real-time data via TASMU platform, allowing data-driven decision making and better management of parking facilities.”

His Excellency added that through the integration of transformative technology and benefiting from latent technologies, such as the Internet of Things and Augmented Reality, the Smart Parking service came to achieve safety, environmental, and social advantages, in addition to increasing the efficiency of parking use in vital and commercial areas, which is a step to improve the level of users' experience."

The Smart Parking service seeks to address the difficulties faced by vehicle drivers in parking spaces and to make all parking spaces in Qatar available digitally by using the latest parking sensors, as well as integrating all existing parking management systems to provide a standardized digital parking experience.

The initial launch is just the tip of the iceberg for the Smart Parking service, with future releases to include more locations and features, such as pre-booking, parking sessions’ management, enabling various "Find My Car" choices, providing a record for each account, and other features that will be implemented in several phases, after the Ministry of Transport fully takes over this project.