A new free digital app aims to cut the time spent searching for parking on the streets of Athens by harnessing cooperation between drivers themselves. It is called Parkout, and it connects in real time those leaving a parking space with those looking for one.
The app operates on a peer-to-peer (P2P) model, without the use of sensors or other additional infrastructure. When a driver is about to leave a parking space, they indicate via the app that it is becoming available.
At the same time, other drivers in the area who are looking for a space are notified in real time so they can head to the spot that has just opened up. In practice, the driver who is leaving is asked to wait for a short while so the person who has “booked” the space can arrive.
In this way, Parkout seeks to reduce the phenomenon of drivers wandering around aimlessly in search of parking, cutting both the time spent looking and the burden on traffic, as well as carbon dioxide emissions.
The app is available free of charge for Android and iOS devices and works in areas of the Municipality of Athens where the controlled parking system is not in force. These include Patissia, Kypseli, Ampelokipoi, Pangrati, Neos Kosmos, Petralona, Kolonos, Votanikos and many other neighbourhoods.
By contrast, it is not supported in areas where the controlled parking system applies, such as the Commercial Triangle, Plaka, the Acropolis area, Kolonaki, Exarchia, Ilisia and Lycabettus.
According to the Municipality of Athens, Parkout aims to offer a practical solution to one of the most common problems faced by drivers in the capital, making use of the immediate exchange of information between users and helping to improve everyday mobility in the city.