What’s The Difference Between Semi-automated And Fully Automated Parking System?

Under the umbrella of automatic car parking systems exist semi-automated and fully-automated systems. This is another important distinction to be aware of when looking into implementing automated parking for your building.

SEMI-AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEMS

Semi-automatic parking systems are named so because they require people to drive their cars into available spaces, and also drive them out when they’re leaving. However, once a vehicle is in a space and the driver has exited it, a semi-automated system can move that car by moving cars up-down and left-right to its spaces. This allows it to move occupied platforms upwards to a suspended level above the ground while bringing open platforms down where drivers can reach them. In the same way, when a vehicle owner returns and identifies themselves, the system can rotate again and bring down that person’s car so that they can leave. Semi-automatic systems are easy to install within existing parking structures as well, and are generally smaller than their fully automated counterparts.

FULLY AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEMS

Fully automatic parking systems, on the other hand, do just about all the work of storing and retrieving cars on behalf of users. A driver will only see an entrance area where they position their car over a platform. Once they align their vehicle and exit from it, a fully automated system will move that platform into its storage space. This space is inaccessible to drivers and usually resembles shelves. The system will locate open spots among its shelves and move cars into them. When a driver returns for their vehicle, it will know where to find their car and will bring it back out so that they may leave. Due to how fully automated parking systems operate, they stand apart as their own large parking structures. You wouldn’t add one into a section of an already standing parking garage like you might with a semi-automatic system. Still, both semi- and fully automated systems can come in various formations to fit into your specific property seamlessly.