[p_monk]

Not mentioned in the article, but a now common feature of multi-level parking lots in LA tell drivers how many parking spots are open on every floor. I'd like to see the concept extended to indicate where on each floor the open spots are available. This can be done with switching on a colorful light above open spaces or by having an open spot counter in the entrance of each lane.

[r00fus]

When I was in Grenoble, France (back in 1999!!), they had a system where on the Autoroute, and in key locations within the city, you would see signs that showed the available parking spots in the government-run garages.

This had two benefits: 1) you could tell if you were going to get a spot in/near centre-ville or wherever you were going. 2) you could tell if it was likely you would find any spots - if all the garages nearby were at/near capacity, you probably wouldn't find parking on the street either - be prepared to park further away and walk.

This was possible because of government control of parking and signs - the city itself (not to mention the residents) benefited from lowered gas usage, less congestion and less frustration. Thus it is economics/government as much as technology.

[saryant]

When I lived in Strasbourg I noticed the same thing. I lived just outside the Grand Île on a major road and was very surprised to see those when I got there.

Coming from Houston I wasn't used to something like parking being so well organized. ;)

[joshka]

These lights exist in several malls in Australia (and I'd be surprised if they weren't elsewhere). http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/siemensparkin... goes one step further though.

[DrStalker]

There are systems that do this; I've seen a few carkparks where each spot has a red/green light on the roof in front of it so you can tell at a glance where a free spot is. Every point where you have to choose which way ("Up to the next level or check this one?") will give the number of free spots for either choice on a little LED sign.

Westfields Bondi Junction went as far as having an iPhone app where you could put in your car's license plate and it would tell you which spot it was parked in; that caused some privacy concerns and I don't know if it's still available but the technology exists, and presumably the cost is offset by the extra metrics you get by tracking every single vehicle that uses your shopping center.

[brudgers]

Parking space finder; a startup idea.