London Gatwick Airport (LGW) will institute a robot automobile parking service in August, enabling passengers to drop off cars to be autonomously parked.
French firm Stanley Robotics is the technology provider. Airports around the world are increasingly utilizing robots, including to guide passengers in terminals and for baggage handling tasks.
Passengers who prebook the robot parking service at LGW arrive at the airport and park their car in a designated cabin. The car is turned off, the passenger confirms the booking on a screen and heads to the terminal by either walking or taking a short shuttle ride to the airport’s South Terminal. LGW said the walk takes 6 min. and the shuttle takes 7-15 min.
An autonomous vehicle will then load the vehicle by its tires and move it to a parking spot. Passengers keep their car keys.
“The robots use advanced technology to safely move your car, constantly monitoring their surroundings to avoid obstacles,” LGW says. “In the unlikely event of an issue, on-site teams are available to help.”
For arrival and retrieval of the car, the Stanley Robotics system stores passenger flight details and monitors landings, alerting robot vehicles to move cars back to a cabin for pickup. LGW said cars should be waiting for passengers in a designated cabin.
Passengers must book the service in advance, and the car must be parked for a minimum of five days. The service is only available to passengers dropping off and picking up cars on weekdays. LGW said these restrictions will be “adjusted and eased” as the service scales.
LGW said the service is aimed at removing the hassle and time involved in parking cars at airports. The Stanley Robotics autonomous parking service is already available at Lyon Airport in France.
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