Parking Space Occupancy Detection Using a Mobile Robot for an Urban Digital Twin

A parking space occupancy detection system is crucial for improving traffic flow as it reduces the time drivers spend searching for available parking, thereby minimizing congestion and lowering vehicle emissions. In this paper, we present an end-to-end system that addresses key aspects of urban parking space management. The system is composed of two subsystems: The first subsystem features a mobile robot platform equipped with a LIDAR sensor, a high-precision GNSS receiver, and an LTE modem. This robot autonomously navigates predefined routes while scanning its surroundings with the LIDAR sensor.The second subsystem is a server platform built on the open-source FIWARE framework. It includes an MQTT interface for communication with the robotic platform, alongside various components for data storage, analysis, and visualization. Additionally, a data model has been integrated to provide a digital representation of parking facilities, which is regularly updated, creating an urban digital twin for managing parking spaces effectively.

FIWARE

LIDAR

MQTT

ROS

digital twin

parking space management

smart city

smart mobility