Parking Technology Aims to Manage Curb Space Virtually

Washington, D.C., is the first U.S. city to test a system that transmits real-time information about curbside parking availability and space size to delivery drivers.

The system was developed by curbFlow, and company founder Ali Vahabzadeh said it relies on a batch of "computer vision devices" installed in businesses' windows.

The camera- and microprocessor-equipped devices record when curb space is occupied near the establishment, and send that information to drivers.

Vahabzadeh said the virtual curbFlow system's development was driven by Covid-19 forcing many people to work from home, vastly increasing demand for takeout and delivery services, with an accompanying surge in congestion as drivers vie for curb space.

A 2019 pilot program in Washington D.C. estimated that curbFlow's system caused the number of vehicles double-parked in temporary loading zones to decrease 64%.

From The Washington Post
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