HKSTP Reveals Hong Kong’s First Automated Robotic Parking System at Science Park to Advance Smart City Vision

Experience programme to trial cutting edge technology and highlight Science Park’s unique test-bed capability for trailblazing innovation and fostering market adoption

18 May 2021

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has introduced the city’s first automated robotic parking system with electric vehicle (EV) charging at Hong Kong Science Park, the city’s largest R&D campus. Located across Buildings 17W and 19W, the Robotic Parking system will showcase Hong Kong’s leading edge smart city innovation and advance the city’s vision for smarter living and smarter mobility.

Hong Kong is a city where car parking is a known headache for drivers and space is at a premium, while power consumption and labour costs are growing concerns. Automated parking enabled by advanced AI and robotics provides a vision of improved experience and sustainability for future car parking facilities.

Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP said: “As the first robotic car parking system to be trialled in Hong Kong, HKSTP’s Robotic Parking features a combination of technologies including AI, robotics and sensors. Our smart campus and world-class R&D capabilities give innovators the ideal testing ground for their cutting-edge ideas while also progressing their technology right through to market adoption. This is an example that HKSTP is making great strides in turning Hong Kong’s smart city vision and a more sustainable future into reality.”

Launch of the experience programme for robotic parking from May to July offers Science Park tenants the opportunity to test, trial and provide real-time feedback to optimise and fine tune the user experience in preparation for full operational launch. The programme opens an initial portion of parking spaces for trial.

Smarter enhanced experience

The Robotic Parking system leverages AI and robotics to offer a smarter enhanced car parking experience versus conventional car parks. User convenience is taken to a new level as users can have their vehicles automatically parked within a few minutes without the need to search for parking space.

The cutting-edge facility lets drivers simply park their cars onto the pallet inside the designated chamber and then confirm at the kiosk to initiate the parking process with a one-time-passcode generated. An automatic guided vehicle (AGV) will transport the pallet with the car to a vacant parking space. To retrieve the car, drivers just input the assigned passcode to the kiosk and the car will be transferred by the AGV to the designated chamber for pick up. Drivers can also use the Robotic Parking System App to schedule car retrieval, check parking availability and car status.

The new facility delivers significant space savings by enabling optimal parking in multiple rows and columns (double-parking), supported by the AGVs which access the parking pallets from multiple angles using omni-directional movements. Equipped with precise laser navigation system, the AGVs are capable of achieving high levels of positioning accuracy at plus or minus 5mm. Powered by advanced route planning algorithms, the AGVs maximise space utilisation and also transport each car via the most efficient route.

Lower power consumption means energy savings of 30% are expected with the unmanned car park requiring minimal lighting and ventilation. Security and safety are optimised for users and vehicles as sensors and automation create a zero-human operation that mitigate accidents and crime risk. Motion sensors are installed in the parking chamber to ensure no humans or pets are left inside the chamber prior to parking automatically. Non-contact collision avoidance sensors are mounted on AGVs, so they will come to a complete stop if an obstacle is detected.

As the first robotic car park with EV chargers in Hong Kong, the charging system features the first locally-made auto-connectors between the EV parking pallets and chargers. Intelligent load management using advanced control algorithms allows the system to distribute supply current to all connected EV chargers according to the exact electricity demand of each EV, which optimises the use of limited power.

*Download a video of the Robotic Parking system at https://bit.ly/3ooNCu8