Technology

What 2015 Predicted About Parking Tech—And What It Means for the Next Decade

Keeping Cities Moving

Digital Strategy Sessions and Digital Twins

Long overlooked, parking is now at the epicenter of change.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Urban Mobility

How can parking and mobility organizations prepare today for the technologies and trends that will define the industry tomorrow?

As described by the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility several months ago, micromobility—bikes, scooters, and other personal transport devices—is reshaping transportation. Students appreciate the convenience and sustainability these options provide, but as adoption grows, so do concerns about pedestrian safety and infrastructure gaps. How do we balance innovation with responsibility? Recent studies show accident rates on campuses are climbing, often linked to distracted riding and unclear infrastructure for separating pedestrians and riders. According to a survey published by UPCEA Cener for Research and Strategy, liability and insurance coverage remain gray areas, especially when accidents involve bystanders. Add behaviors like riding under the influence or speeding, and the risks multiply. At Old Dominion University, policy emphasizes pedestrian right-of-way and mandates the responsible operation of micromobility devices in designated areas. Riders must follow traffic rules, maintain safe speeds, and dismount in congested zones. Helmet use is strongly encouraged, and headphones are permitted only on one ear for safety. Other universities have introduced designated lanes and scooter corrals to reduce conflicts - steps worth considering as we design safer systems. As parking, transportation, and mobility professionals, we have an opportunity to lead. What do you think—should universities focus on stronger rules, better infrastructure, or more rider education? What’s been successful on your campus? I would love to hear your ideas and experiences to help create programs that keep everyone safe and make sustainable transportation even easier. I'd like micromobility to become a welcome and respected program in the overall campus community. Lisa Copeland, PTMP, is the Associate Director for Data and Administration at Old Dominion University. Lisa can be reached at lcopelan@odu.edu.

Automotus, a Los Angeles-based software company that sells curb management, traffic and associated payment technology, has raised $9 million in a new funding round. According to Jordan Justus, the company’s CEO and co-founder, the round includes $7.5 million in equity and $1.5 million in credit from a single investor. Total equity funding to date for the company, which traces its roots to 2017 while Justus and co-founder and CTO Harris Lummis were students at Loyola Marymount University, stands at $26 million, Justus said. This funding round included Santa Barbara Venture Partners, Weatherford Capital, BarronKent Ventures, Techstars Ventures, kineo, and other investors, according to a statement. Automotus offers a platform powered by computer vision that cities and airports can use to monitor and control traffic at curbs, including via data analytics and automated payments. The rise of ride hailing along with consumer dependence on retail deliveries help make curbside spaces increasingly busy. An example of the technology in use comes from Lincoln, Neb., where cameras provided by Automotus have helped officials craft parking policies for downtown. Automotus says it has deployed its tech in “dozens of markets across the country.” The fresh capital will go toward deeper product offerings, market expansion and customer support. “Cities and airports are under immense pressure to modernize the curb as commercial traffic surges and they’re forced to grapple with AVs,” Justus said. “This investment allows us to scale our impact and continue delivering technology that makes streets safer, more efficient and more sustainable.”

Orikan Group has acquired UbiPark, a parking technology company headquartered in Melbourne and with a growing footprint in the US. UbiPark specialises in digital solutions for commercial property owners, parking operators and large institutional operations, maintaining a strong customer base across Australia, New Zealand, UK and the US. The agreement will see UbiPark’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mosstyn Howell join Orikan as a member of the Executive Team, bringing a team of thirteen people to Orikan’s business. Peter Neale, Orikan Chief Executive Officer, cites strong synergies between the two businesses as a key driver for the acquisition. “UbiPark’s modern set of digital technologies complement our own, broadening our technology offering in the off-street parking segment. Alongside our July acquisition of GPS USA, the acquisition of UbiPark builds on our expansion into the US market. By joining forces with UbiPark we can offer our holistic, end-to-end parking solutions to even more communities, off-street operators and institutions across Australia, New Zealand, UK and the US.” In his new role, Mosstyn Howell says the agreement will be particularly beneficial to all customers. “Our strategic partnership with Orikan marks a pivotal step forward enhancing our capabilities and accelerating investment in our technology stack to deliver smarter, more seamless solutions for our customers.” The acquisition represents a further step in Orikan’s growth strategy, expanding regional reach, combining complementary capabilities, and enhancing the technology delivered to customers.

The City of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania is expanding its SafetyStick® program after a successful first year of automated parking enforcement in high-risk curbside locations. What began as a small deployment of 10 devices downtown has grown into one of Municipal Parking Services’ flagship SafetyStick® programs, with the city now operating 42 units and planning to add 20 more in the coming months. The initiative focuses on illegal parking that creates safety hazards rather than routine meter enforcement. SafetySticks monitor handicap spaces, bus stops, fire hydrants, corners, commercial loading zones and other restricted areas where blocked access can put people at risk or slow emergency response. Proven Results in the First Year In a little over a year of operation, Wilkes-Barre’s SafetyStick® program has generated 9,883 citations for parking violations, uncovering the true scale of unsafe, previously under-enforced activity at key locations. Over that same period, the city received $126,135 in revenue from citations issued through the SafetyStick® program. Just as important as the revenue, city leaders report that citation volumes in the earliest deployment zones have begun to drop as drivers change their behavior. Fewer violations in those original locations suggest that motorists are learning to avoid unsafe stopping and parking where SafetySticks are installed, even as new devices are added in other areas. Expanding to School-Adjacent Corridors As the program has grown, Wilkes-Barre has pushed beyond the downtown core to address additional safety priorities and annoyance parking. New SafetySticks are being installed along Old River Road near Kistler Elementary School, where vehicles were previously parking on grassy areas and blocking sight lines when children were arriving and leaving. “By extending automated enforcement to school-adjacent corridors, the city aims to keep pick-up and drop-off zones clear and reduce risky driver behavior during the busiest times of day for pedestrians,” said Robert Sliker, head of parking enforcement. “We have parking enforcement officers, but they can’t be everywhere,” Mayor George Brown said in a recent interview with FOX56. A Safety-First Model for Other Cities Wilkes-Barre’s experience shows how cities can pair automated enforcement with a clear safety narrative to build public understanding and long-term compliance. Key elements of the city’s approach include: Starting with obvious safety hazards such as hydrants, corners, handicap spaces and bus stops to demonstrate why enforcement is needed. Using solar-powered, AI-enabled devices to provide continuous monitoring without major capital projects or added staff. Framing the program as a public safety initiative that protects residents, schoolchildren and emergency responders rather than a purely revenue-driven effort. Expanding in phases as results, community awareness and internal comfort with the technology grow. With dozens of devices already delivering strong results and additional SafetySticks on the way, Wilkes-Barre has become a leading example of how automated enforcement can improve safety, strengthen compliance and support city budgets at the same time. About Municipal Parking Services (MPS) Municipal Parking Services Inc. (MPS) is a pioneer in AI-driven enforcement and compliance technologies. Since 2013, MPS has leveraged its unique platform to deliver cloud-connected parking and safety solutions that reduce illegal parking, increase compliance, and improve safety outcomes. MPS solutions use embedded AI to automate license plate recognition, dynamic pricing, zone monitoring, and enforcement, creating safer, smarter communities. The company partners with leading safety organizations, including Vision Zero, IPMI, IACLEA, and IACP. Headquartered in Austin, Texas. Learn more at www.mpspark.com.

Santa Cruz, CA & Los Angeles, CA – Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, announced a partnership with Metropolis Technologies, Inc., a leader in applied AI for the real world, to develop 25 vertiports across the United States utilizing Metropolis’ extensive network of parking locations. The partnership will incorporate Metropolis’ AI-based recognition technology, as well the company’s extensive footprint across aviation and baggage services. Following its $1.5 billion acquisition of SP+, and $1.6 billion Series D financing, Metropolis is the largest parking network and operator in North America, operating more than 4,200 parking locations, as well as aviation services in over 350 locations. The planned vertiports will be strategically selected across Metropolis’ portfolio in early electric air taxi markets and use Metropolis’ computer vision technology; the companies will be evaluating both new and existing facilities for the integration of vertiports. “For air taxis to deliver on their promise of seamless urban travel, they must connect directly with the existing ground transportation ecosystem,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby. “By leveraging existing parking infrastructure to create mobility hubs, we can deliver on our vision of seamless connectivity for our customers and also maximize the value of those sites without needing to build infrastructure from scratch.” The companies plan to leverage Metropolis’ world-class technology, including biometrics, broader computer vision and services like baggage handling, to accelerate Joby’s efforts to integrate its air taxi service directly into existing ground transportation hubs and deploy compact, high-throughput vertiport designs that satisfy safety and regulatory standards. Under its Bags Inc. subsidiary, Metropolis will initially bring its Bags VIP service to Joby’s Blade Urban Air Mobility, which provides flights between Manhattan and JFK or Newark airports in five minutes, bypassing up to two hours of traffic and eliminating common airport pain points. By providing baggage handling to Blade passengers in the New York City area, this partnership will remove friction and allow more people to take advantage of Blade’s service without needing to worry about luggage requirements. Metropolis already operates parking, advanced luggage logistics, remote check-in and in-terminal guest services that streamline the traveler experience across more than 350 airports in North America. Metropolis CEO, Alex Israel, commented on the partnership, “The real world is the next frontier for AI, and our partnership with Joby marks a critical first step in expanding the Metropolis platform into true mobility hubs to deliver remarkable value for Members and partners alike. This transformational partnership is the very definition of Applied AI in the physical world. We are taking the data and recognition capabilities we've built in our network and extending it to air travel, creating the seamless, personalized, and magical experience that is the foundation of the Recognition Economy.” About Joby Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. Joby intends to both operate its fast, quiet, and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world and sell its aircraft to other operators and partners. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com. About Metropolis Metropolis is an artificial intelligence company for the real world. Its Computer Vision platform eliminates friction from daily life, powers checkout-free payments and unlocks seamless, predictive and personalized experiences everywhere consumers transact. Metropolis is pioneering the Recognition Economy, transforming physical spaces into responsive environments with an Intelligence Layer that understands presence, anticipates needs and personalizes moments. Leveraging AI, Metropolis’ platform understands, adapts and responds to Members in real time. Adding more than 1 million Members each month, it is one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the United States and envisions a future where transacting in the real world is even easier than online. Following its take-private acquisition of SP+, Metropolis is now the largest parking network in the United States, with 4,200+ locations and operations in 40 countries worldwide. Its proprietary AI technology touches 50 million customers and processes over $5 billion in payments annually. To learn more, please visit www.metropolis.io. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our business plan, objectives, goals and market opportunity; plans for, and potential benefits of, our strategic partnerships, including our partnership with Metropolis, our plan to develop 25 vertiports across the US and the planned partnership between our Blade Urban Air Mobility subsidiary and Bags VIP; and our current expectations relating to our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, capital needs and growth of our operations. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, “intend”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “can have”, “likely” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including: our ability to launch our air taxi service and the growth of the urban air mobility market generally; our ability to produce aircraft that meet our performance expectations in the volumes and on the timelines that we project; the competitive environment in which we operate; our future capital needs; our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; our ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards relating to our aircraft; our reliance on third-party suppliers and service partners; uncertainties related to our estimates of the size of the market for our service and future revenue opportunities; and other important factors discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 27, 2025, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 8, 2025 and August 7, 2025, and in future filings and other reports we file with or furnish to the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates and beliefs as of the date of this release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. Contacts: Metropolis Media Contact Lizzy Levitan Metropolis@hunt-gather.com Joby Media Contact Charles Stewart press@jobyaviation.com Joby Investor Contact investors@jobyaviation.com

Is the curb for parking, deliveries, valet, ride-share, taxis, horse and buggy, or buses?   If I had been asked this question over 20 years ago, I would have said it was for parking and generating revenue to help pay for infrastructure improvements to drive economic growth. But today, the answer is all above! Our industry has changed so much over the decades due to many different needs. But what I do know is that the curb is at capacity! So, the big question becomes, how do we manage it? Today’s technology plays a major role in helping us manage the curb.   I remember what a big deal it was to put solar pay stations on the street that allowed me to remove 12- 14 single space mechanical meters.  But looking at the technology today, you can place a sign with a QR code and that will lead the customer to platform to pay for parking by using the phone.   You do not really need anything else!  Nashville has been spending the past year working on a technology platform that manages the curb - all uses of the curb! This program is called Connect Downtown.  From the study, we set goals for a safe and comfortable downtown, one that’s connected and convenient, focuses on equitable and accessible, meets sustainable and resilient needs, is vibrant and inviting but balanced and reliable.   Wow, that is a lot to deliver to the community.  We are accomplishing this with five (5) big moves.   The first big move is managing congestion.   We are upgrading our signals to real time to manage special events, people and safety of all modes.  The next one is improved safety.  Being a vision zero county, we are making our roadway network safer for people.  Move three (3) is prioritizing our transit for better service and reliability throughout the region.  Building complete street networks with connected walking paths, bikeways, and micro mobility options for first and last miles is the fourth big move.  And the last big move, maximizing the curb by flexing the use based on needs, creating passenger loading or service unloading zones for deliveries, rideshares, taxis and AVs. Do not forget to include local businesses’ needs, venues and their modes of transporting people.  But mostly, make sure you address everything for your residents.  They are the foundation of everything that’s planned.   In the last year, we have added over one hundred and forty-five (145) bike and scooter corrals.  We’ve piloted a transit lane designed for special events that’s allowed for improving the time of exiting from the downtown Hub by over 50%.   We’ve established additional unloading zones that are flexed at 4 PM to 4 AM for ridesharing, taxi, etc and did a ridezone pilot that improved the traffic flow.  We’ve also organized the parking system for the curb, so that we have technology providing turns for businesses.  And now we are working closely with the community on the technology platform for managing the curb, similar to parking.  Technology is allowing us to advance and optimize how the city manages the curb, and we’re transforming how our downtown operates — making life easier for residents and business owners Diana W. Alarcon, PTMP, is the Director for Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure. Diana can be reached at diana.alarcon@nashville.gov.