Cruising By
In a bid to combat parking violations, a new scanning vehicle has made its debut in the city of Düsseldorf. The vehicle, which can detect incorrectly parked vehicles at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour, is currently limited to issuing fines for specific parking violations.
The scanning vehicle, which photographs the vehicle and scans the license plate, is only used in instances where there is a specific suspicion, such as stopping in a no-parking zone or on a bike lane. Unlike in some federal states, there is currently no legal basis for automated control of parking tickets or digital parking permits in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
Mayor Stephan Keller, who is expanding the cycling infrastructure in the city, expressed his curiosity about the results of the test phase of the scanning vehicle. He cannot tolerate bicycle paths being blocked by parked cars and hopes that the scanning vehicle can be permanently integrated into the regular service of traffic surveillance.
During the first test last week, the scanning vehicle was put through its paces on a predefined route in Düsseldorf. The vehicle allows traffic surveillance colleagues to focus on parking space surveillance, and it is capable of monitoring more kilometers per day than traffic surveillance on foot.
The legal basis for the use of the scanning vehicle in Düsseldorf is limited to specific parking violations. The vehicle is not currently used for general traffic surveillance, digital parking permit control, or general automated parking control in the city.
Further test drives of the scanning vehicle are planned, and Mayor Keller is eager to see the results. He believes that the scanning vehicle could play a crucial role in ensuring that parking spaces are used correctly and that cycling infrastructure is protected.
