Birmingham Cube - automated parking

[aquazi]

Just seen this on BBC news.. very clever.. maybe have to pay it a visit to see it in action!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11423051

 

[nicko]

funky, couldn't quite tell how it picked up and put down the car.
was it scooching some sort of conveyer belt under the wheels?
it looks like the video was cut to specifically not show you

 

[chetalien]

Oh it always this long to come here. I saw this when I went to tokyo in 2003 that was 7yrs ago. And apparently it was in place for atleast a year or two before that. so that makes a 10yr old design, would u trust it in UK- NO WAY. I would in tokyo where its perfect as everything there is reliable but here not a chance.
TYPICAL ISNT IT- MAKE A BIG DEAL OF AN OLD BORROWED DESIGN,

 

[cj10jeeper]

You can't try it out as it's permit parking only as far as I know, hence the reason entry is with a pre issued proximity pass.

Cool idea though, old technology or not and no doubt easier to justify in Japan where space is at a premium compared to even the UK

 

[peddy]

old technology or not and no doubt easier to justify in Japan where space is at a premium compared to even the UK

and hence why the delay... before it was probably much more expensive technology and hence not justifiable to spend that much in the UK.
chetalien, Just because it's old technology somewhere else doesn't mean other countries are necessarily falling behind.

 

[WLH]

Actually I like the idea as I will not use valet parking where someone drives/park my car.... :thumbsdown:
Also seem like this method would be more secure since others are not wandering about the parking garage...

 

[scottbt]

Wondered how long it would be before they did something like this over here.
They are everywhere in tokyo.

 

[mikedav]

Oh it always this long to come here. I saw this when I went to tokyo in 2003 that was 7yrs ago.

TYPICAL ISNT IT- MAKE A BIG DEAL OF AN OLD BORROWED DESIGN,

Actually...the first automated car park in the world was in England. Nottingham to be precise, in the 1950s. But it didn't work very well, broke constantly and cost the owner a fortune.

This car park is also not new and not the first like it in the UK. There was also a crane operated automated car park roughly similar to this on Rochester Row that I am sure some London members will remember but if you browse the net, could almost have never existed. It had been operating since somewhere in the late 1970's, but this was demolished in 2008 and the site is now flats. It worked exactly the same - you drove into a garage, the robots took it away and then when you came back to the exit garage, your car appeared behind a roller door.

A similar system was also operating in Perpignan in France in 1991 which I remember as a 9 year old....because it kept bringing up the wrong car for the owner. So 2003 is pretty late to be honest

 

[Anonymous]

Other advantages would include no more door dinks

 

[Blue]

I like the idea and would definitely use it, no door dinks and totally secure (in theory).