Hoboken Garage Automatic Parking System, NJ, USA

The Hoboken Garden Street Garage Automated Parking System opened in October 2002 (although operating fully automated since May 2002). The Hoboken Parking Authority spent $6.2m on this facility. The Robotic Parking System accommodates 312 cars; a conventional ramp style garage accomodates 90 cars. The automated parking system facilitates the movement of cars throughout a 312-position, seven storey residential parking garage.

The development is on a 100ft² lot, standing 56ft high (7.5ft from level to level). It allocates parking spaces for the incoming cars, retrieves parked cars as requested and monitors the whole system for preventive maintenance. Using the same methodology, just in reverse, the system retrieves the pallet and the vehicle. Notably, the vehicle never leaves the pallet to which it is initially assigned at any time.

AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEM

Robotic Parking™ Automated Parking System is an advancement on the original mechanical models. The automated parking process offers a patented Modular Automated Parking System (MAPS). This system uses the latest electronic and automation technology.

The system is extremely safe and convenient for users. The risk of any vehicle damage is minimal, and theft and the risk of personal injury or robbery that occur in regular parking lots is non-existent; drivers remain safely outside the building at all times.

MOTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND ROBOTS

A GE Fanuc integrated motion control system manages 35 independently operating robots. These robots transport vehicles from an entrance bay into an open parking space, utilising the automated system to move pallets, lifts and carriers. Notably, each axis of motion employs a pair of servo systems sharing the load. Either motor can independently supply adequate power to move vehicles during required maintenance, due to the servos being sized to accommodate this.

CIMPLICITY SOFTWARE

The GE Fanuc hardware is linked to CIMPLICITY software, an open system framework that provides a powerful, graphical environment to monitor and control the automation system. Additionally, CIMPLICITY collects and compiles data from the parking system and provides a graphical interface with real time displays. CIMPLICITY generates maintenance and diagnostics reports to increase troubleshooting, efficiency and to enable a quick response to system problems.

BENEFITS OF AN AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEM

Benefits of the automatic parking system include: optimisation of space utilisation, security (vehicle and personal), convenience (all ground level access), lower garage owner's liability insurance, greater depreciation schedule, lower lighting and ventilation requirements (no cars driving around inside; no people go inside), and lower emissions and less pollution (clean parking system).

PARKING AND RETRIEVAL PROCESS

The Hoboken Garage is a monthly garage only for local residents. Each patron has a card, similar to an E-Z pass. As the patron drives to the garage, the card (positioned in their windshield) is detected by the sensor and signals to the computer that a patron is approaching. A green light at an available bay indicates entrance for the patron. They proceed into the open bay, position their car, get out and push a button to initiate the parking process.

The central computer system guides a carrier on steel rails along an open aisle-way to a position adjacent to the arrival station and the pallet. An additional rack entry module moves above the upper surface of the carrier and is inserted beneath the pallet; the pallet and the vehicle are then transferred to the carrier. Under the direction of the computer, the carrier (with the pallet and the vehicle inside) is moved from the arrival station to a multilevel lifting device; the pallet and the vehicle are then transferred to the lift. When the lift reaches the designated parking level, the pallet and the vehicle are transferred to another carrier. This carrier transports the pallet and the vehicle to the designated parking slot. Lastly, the pallet and the vehicle are transferred into the parking slot by the rack entry module. This system design enables multiple independent motions simultaneously thus dramatically increasing reliability and speed of transactions.

When retrieving their car, the patron goes to the lobby and enters a pin number into a keypad. Their car is automatically located and retrieved – in a forward drive position – to an available bay. The patron's name is displayed on a marquee indicating which bay their car will be brought to. The vehicle is retrieved and is placed in the bay in one and half to two minutes. Once the car arrives, the patron can simply drive away.

CONTRACTORS

Robotic Parking was contracted to provide a modular, fully automated parking system. GE Fanuc provided an integrated motion control system that manages 35 independently operating robots. CIMPLICITY software is linked to the GE Fanuc hardware.

CONTROVERSY AND A NEW START

In August 2006 the robotic parking garage encountered a problem. It was not a mechanical problem but instead a contractual disagreement between Robotic Parking (the owners of the software running the garage) and the City of New Jersey who own and operate the garage but refused to pay what they saw as an exorbitant rise in software licence and maintenance fees (increase from $2,600 per month to over $9,000 per month) and also accused Robotic Parking of not maintaining the garage correctly so that it malfunctioned.

The City was not allowed to operate the garage without a software license and the result was a court case which lasted two weeks and trapped resident’s cars in the parking garage over that period since there was no manual way to remove vehicles. The court case seemed to temporarily solve the dispute by suggesting that a more reasonable fee would be $5,500 per month over a three year period to licences the necessary software.

Later in 2006 the City of New Jersey contracted an Israeli company Unitronics ($2m) to replace and fix mechanical and electrical problems and replace the software that controls the 314-space garage. City Parking Utility officials have drawn up specifications detailing the work needing to be done, including writing new software to control the robotic platforms and installing new mechanical parts. When the work is completed the garage will be expected to operate as it was originally designed, without a full-time attendant. The maintenance contract for the first year will be $10,000 a month. After a year the Parking Utility will take over maintenance.

In December 2006 Parking Utility closed the garage to install temporary software. Once this has been completed the city hopes to sever ties with Robotic Parking Inc. The Unitronics contract will be carried out in phases to keep the garage open, with the entire project to be completed by the end of March 2007. Unitronics was hired at an earlier stage to replace Robotic Parking, but this was short-lived as Robotic Parking successfully sued to prevent them from using its copyrighted software. Now it appears that the City of New Jersey means business and Robotic Parking is out.

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