Partnership with energy supplier RheinEnergie AG brings stress-free parking, cleaner air and lighter traffic to city of Cologne

MUNICH, COLOGNE (June 2, 2020) – Cleverciti Systems, the leading smart parking provider, went live today with one of the world’s most innovative and modern parking guidance systems for residents and visitors in the Cologne district of Nippes, one of the busiest districts on the Rhine. Now, motorists can read the exact number and direction of the remaining free parking spaces along the streets on local LED displays at road intersections, avoiding unnecessary searching and idling, and improving the overall quality of life. The ‘blind’ search for parking spaces, which has contributed significantly to the traffic volume and emissions pollution, is now a thing of the past.

A Circ™ on a lamp post in Cologne-Nippes

The installation was made possible through a partnership with RheinEnergie AG, the fifth largest energy supplier in Germany, and supports the “SmartCity Cologne Program”, a platform that brings together private individuals, companies, and associations to promote climate protection and renewable energy initiatives. The Cleverciti smart parking system installation significantly reduces traffic and emissions, and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure as part of the program “Digitalization of Municipal Transport Systems”.

“We are proud that with our modern systems and services we have been able to implement one of the world’s most innovative and comprehensive parking guidance systems in the inner city area,” says Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and founder of Cleverciti Systems. “From now on, all motorists in Cologne-Nippes will have exact information on the availability of parking spaces and will be able to navigate to the best parking space in a targeted manner and without delay. We want to make a decisive contribution to making parking stress-free through this service, improving the shopping experience in the city and significantly reducing emissions.”

“The Cleverciti solution was optimally integrated into the existing infrastructure in Cologne-Nippes,” says Dr. Andreas Cerbe, Network Director of RheinEnergie. “We operate thousands of light poles in Cologne, which are now equipped with the smart sensors and LED displays with little effort to reduce traffic and emissions.”

A Circ™ on a lamp post in Cologne-Nippes

A total of 89 Cleverciti Sensors, which monitor around 800 parking spaces along the streets in the district, and 27 Circ™ LED displays are installed on existing lamp posts and seamlessly fit into the local environment. The system takes into account all data protection regulations in public areas. The sensors are designed using artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing to provide precise data on parking space availability. These available spaces are displayed in real time on the omnidirectional LED displays and in a mobile app, and direct drivers to the nearest available parking space.

“A mobile app will also be available to motorists beginning the end of July, which will be provided by Cleverciti on behalf of RheinEnergie. It will show the current occupancy status of the parking spaces in Cologne-Nippes, navigate drivers to the nearest available parking space, and offer mobile payment options,” says Dr. Günther Picker, SVP for Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Development at Cleverciti Systems.

According to a survey by the National Platform Future of Mobility, intelligent parking solutions could reduce pollutant emissions by 900,000 tons per year in Germany alone.

For more information on the SmartCity Cologne initiative, please visit here. For more information on Cleverciti Smart Parking Systems, click here.

Largest open-air shopping center in Germany eases parking complexity, increases intelligence gathering and enhances the shopping experience with smart parking technologies

LAKE FOREST, Ill. & MUNICH– (BUSINESS WIRE) – Cleverciti, a leader in comprehensive, high-tech solutions for smart parking, today announces that Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s Ruhr Park shopping center,Germany’s largest open-air shopping center, has deployed Cleverciti’s advanced smart parking solution to monitor more than 2,600 outdoor spaces. Cleverciti’s high-end artificial intelligence (AI) sensors immediately guide visitors to any available area, eliminating unnecessary driving and wasted time when searching for a parking space.

With information updated every few seconds, Cleverciti sensors and its omnidirectional LED guidance system CIRC360™ combine to deliver instantaneous data on available parking spaces at the entrance to each parking aisle. Cleverciti’s AI and edge-computing sensors provide consistent reliability and offer the highest level of accuracy in all weather conditions. Comprehensive 360-degree sensors and signage are installed on existing lampposts and other poles to reduce the need for additional hardware and infrastructure investments, delivering additional ROI for the organization.

By leveraging the power of Cleverciti’s smart parking solution, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has invested in a sophisticated, resilient and efficient smart parking platform that eases parking complexity and provides more time to shop for the more than 11 million people that visit the facility annually. A mobile app, which provides directions to free parking spaces that are close to the areas they want to shop in real-time, empowers drivers to focus on the tasks at hand rather than searching for a space.

Ruhr Park is Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s third shopping center in Germany to be awarded with a 4-star label – a customer service initiative that represents the highest level of quality, service and shopping experience within the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield group. The 4-star facilities have to meet a total of 734 criteria to secure this rating. With a consistent focus on innovation and service, the shopping center strives to stay ahead of technology trends and invests in solutions that propel intelligence, operational efficiency and convenience.

“We selected Cleverciti because its intelligence and integrated smart parking technologies and services will facilitate a hassle-free parking experience for our clients,” said Andreas Ulmer, Center Manager, Ruhr Park. “In today’s complex retail environment, it’s essential that shoppers are provided with extraordinary service, convenience and efficiency at the places they choose to shop. Cleverciti supports our broader roadmap initiatives with the opportunity to streamline our parking operations while enhancing communication, which helps future-proof our investment and drive additional value across our organization.”

In addition to reducing visitor challenges, the Cleverciti smart parking platform also offers the shopping center management new levels of intelligence and real-time insight into the use of the outdoor parking areas, including the length of stay of each car, use of certain areas, historical data and heat maps on traffic patterns. Customized alerts can also be set for designated zones, such as loading areas where parking is prohibited. Cleverciti also easily integrates with other networked devices to enable organizations to build more advanced Internet of Things (IoT) deployments as needs expand over time.

“The Cleverciti smart parking solution is the ideal platform for high-traffic and dynamic areas, like shopping centers and retail facilities, that require the highest degree of intelligence. Shopping starts in the parking areas, therefore, it is critical to deliver a streamlined parking experience to ensure visitor satisfaction from the beginning,” said Markus Grauvogl, Vice President of Sales, EMEAR, Cleverciti.

Cleverciti has more than 54 installations in 18 countries around the world. Its comprehensive suite of smart parking solutions is an ideal choice for organizations focused on a forward-thinking approach to customer service that also seeks to streamline parking and turn parking assets into revenue generators.

Cleverciti Systems, a leader in comprehensive, high-tech solutions for outdoor and on-street parking detection, monitoring and guidance, marked the end of 2018 with strong results across its business as more organizations look to leverage intelligent, IoT-based solutions to streamline parking operations.

Cleverciti secured 13 new installations in Q4 2018 and projects more than 20 new deals to close in Q1 2019 in a wide range of targeted vertical markets, including retail, corporate campuses and smart cities. The company’s momentum further positions the company as a leader in the smart parking segment.

“Interest in Cleverciti solutions to streamline parking management in a number of environments using Clevercit’s sensor technology and wayfinding systems, incorporating artificial intelligence continues to increase as customers realize the value of this technology for improving day-to-day operations,” said Thomas Hohenacker, Founder and CEO, Cleverciti Systems. “This growth is a testament to the advantages of our unique technologies, which offer superior intelligence and reliability at a much higher value than other smart parking products on the market today.”

Key Cleverciti developments include:

• The Cleverciti suite of intelligent parking technologies — the CIRC360™, Cleverciti Cockpit and the Cleverciti Top Reach sensors — at major Unibail Rodamco Westfield shopping center in Bochum, Germany, and the Leto Shopping Center from the Malltech Group in St. Petersburg, Russia.

• Expansion into the supermarket arena, which generated four additional installations in Germany and Austria.

• Corporate campus wins at the Skolvovo Tech Park in Russia and at one of the leading utilities, EnBW, in Germany.

• Deployment of the company’s smart parking solutions in several cities in Germany as well as cities in Ukraine and Greece to reduce traffic and emissions as part of their Smart City initiatives.

• Park & Ride facilities in Germany and London are leveraging Cleverciti technologies to provide real-time parking information to authorities to help them optimize parking assets in more than 80 locations.

• Launch of the Cleverciti Global Channel Partner Program, which is designed to provide the support and service needed to successfully install Cleverciti solutions.

• Cleverciti was named one of the first companies in the “GSMA 100,” a global innovation initiative developed by the GSMA to identify and advance the next generation of connectivity and digital services and awarded the German American Business “Excellence in Innovation” award by the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACC) for its cutting-edge smart parking management technology.

Investment in the company’s sales, support and marketing efforts has resulted in increased visibility.

A lack of parking monitoring and guidance often leads to increased traffic, pollution and driver frustration for cities, retailers, airports and more, while also detracting potential revenue.

Cleverciti’s suite of products revolutionizes the parking experience, offering efficient local guidance with real-time parking data, as well as the ability for customers to display additional marketing and event messages.

“We are proud of the results we’ve achieved over the past six months and we look forward to continuing this trajectory and educating leaders on how to turn parking spaces into revenue generators for their organizations,” Markus Grauvogl, VP Sales EMEAR, said.

As a leader in intelligent parking solutions, the company seeks to help organizations reduce traffic and emissions, and increase revenue while allowing drivers to enjoy a smooth, stress-free parking experience. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with offices in Chicago and Atlanta.