Automated parking coming to Heathrow Airport

Do you always forget where you parked your car?

I don't remember where I came across this trick, but it's come in useful several times: When parking somewhere -- a mall, amusement park, or the airport, for instance -- whip out your digital camera and take a picture of the location. Usually places with parking lots the size of small countries use some sort of number-letter categorization system to make it easier to remember where you parked, so just snap a picture of that A4 or G1 sign before you leave the area. Then, when you're back and searching for your car, review the photo and find it right away. This is especially useful when leaving your car in long-term airport parking.

Britain's Heathrow airport is unveiling a new terminal in March which will include an automated parking system. Engadget writes,

"A new automated system in the garage will snap a photo of your license plate as you head in, direct you to a space using illuminated arrows and an infrared camera tracking system, then issue a ticket which can be read at a kiosk when you get back. When you insert the stub into the reader, a digital display shows you a 3D map of the carpark, and points you to the exact location of your vehicle."

Wow, this makes my digital camera trick look pretty lame.

Filed under: Airports