You know those times when you’re driving around in circles looking for a parking in Cape Town, and it feels like you’d have a better chance finding a unicorn?
Yep, our beautiful city sure has some serious parking issues. And with each new building that goes up the situation just goes from bad to worse.
Fortunately, there’s a light at the end of the parking garage. Last week, Cape Town was introduced to a whole new range of smarter, higher density parking solutions with the local launch of a new internationally experienced company called Auto Dock.
Auto Dock specialises in automated parking systems that can fit double the number of cars in the same space as a traditional parking system, and depending on a system used, can even park up to 16 cars in the space of 2.
Their systems aren’t only magically space efficient, they’re also a lot quicker, safer and less hassle for drivers. You simply drive into a parking garage entrance, turn off your car, lock it and leave. A fully automated system does the rest. The car gets lifted up on a secured pallet and swiftly shifted to its optimum position with a series of mechanical lifts and sliders – all with perfect safety and reliability.
It sounds really high-tech and futuristic, but this technology has been used abroad for over two decades and has been thoroughly refined and perfected.
The Auto Dock team have successfully installed over 400 systems in over 10 countries, and now it’s Cape Town’s turn to discover the advantages of 21st century parking solutions.
“Being able to park more cars in any space is just the beginning of the value they add to any development,” says Auto Dock’s CEO Roi Lagrisi. “Developers no longer need to waste valuable space and money on building ramps, turning circles, air-conditioning, ducting and all the other infrastructure and maintenance required by traditional parking garages.”
“And with personal safety, such an important aspect of life in South Africa, a major benefit of the Auto Dock system is that the driver never has to enter a parking garage – day or night. Since criminals can’t access the cars, you don’t need expensive security patrols and surveillance systems.”
“We might not have self-driving cars in Cape Town yet,” Roi adds. “But we’re definitely ready for self-parking cars.”
I don’t think anyone will argue with that one. More parking in Cape Town? Yes, please.
