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The smart parking system now covers World Trade Centre, Al Rigga and Shaikh Zayed Road. Image Credit: Courtesy: RTA

Dubai: Finding a parking spot will become easier now with the expansion of a smart parking system that help motorist save time in waiting and searching for a space.

The system that was earlier introduced on Shaikh Zayed Road and on Baniyas Road is being expanded now to new areas with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) rolled it out at Al Rigga and Dubai World Trade Centre, while also expanding it further on Shaikh Zayed Road.

With 2,030 ground sensors and 70 overhead digital cameras installed together with a central control system covering 3,035 parking slots the system helps motorists find vacant spots through the RTA mobile app or through the electronic variable sign boards at the parking lots.

3 ,035

parking slots covered by the smart system

According to the RTA, the system helps motorist save time by 20 to 30 per cent.

“The system involves sophisticated technologies like ground sensors and digital cameras to monitor the usage of parking through detecting vacant slots and instantly transmitting information to the central system for display onto the information signs and the smart app,” said Maitha Mohammad Bin Adai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.

She added that the new service provides real-time and accurate information about the number and location of vacant parking slots in covered zones.

2 ,030

It has ground sensors and 70 overhead cameras

“It makes it easy for users and saves them the hassles of finding parking slots, saving 20-30 per cent of the time spent in searching for a parking in conventional parking areas. The smart parking system reduces traffic accidents and congestions and saves about eight minutes in the search for parking,” she said.

According to the RTA, the system also improves the quality of air by curbing the carbon emissions of vehicles searching for parking space to the tune of 239 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum.