​Where does parking fit in the future of car technology?

The car industry is changing, and with that, parking must too.

With new vehicle technology speeding ahead, and hints of autonomous vehicles on the horizon, where does parking fit in?

In order to answer this question with the changes and to gauge how customers feel about the changes in the related industries, Q-Park conducted a survey. Participants were between the ages of 35-60.

Are you thinking about buying an Electric Vehicle in the next 5 years?

There is definitely a split between London and the rest of the UK. London is a fast moving market and the transport and vehicle industry is no different, with a higher percentage of London drivers adopting electric vehicles than any other UK city. However, with new UK policies regarding electric vehicles, the rest of the UK is slowly catching up.

Before the UK Government announcement that all cars will be expected to be electric vehicles by 2040, the survey asked if people were considering an EV. A huge 68% of poll-takers were keen to buy an EV within the next 5 years.

As an innovative, proactive company, Q-Park was already fully equipped for EV parking in London, where electric and hybrid vehicles are more popular. More recently Q-Park installed charging points in all the major cities in the North and are on plan to have a full charging network across the UK and Ireland before 2019.

Would you trust Autonomous Vehicles?

With technology in the industry charging forward, it seems logical to think about what could be next. Autonomous Vehicles, or driverless cars, are receiving more attention in today’s media, with some predicting that they are closer than ever to using this technology.

Would you trust a driverless car? A surprising 69% of voters said they would. Will autonomous vehicles reduce mobility problems or will it send the problem elsewhere? According to experts, full autonomy is further off than we think.

With new concerns regarding the future of vehicles and parking, finding out what customers want is the most important factor.

Do you prefer to park on-street or off-street?

When voters were asked where they prefer to park, only 14% preferred to park on street. Possible reasons for these results could be the security of off-street parking, time restrictions on street, and availability. Parking off-street also reduces search traffic as less time and fuel is spent searching for available spaces, which has a positive impact on the environment, so eco-conscious drivers may prefer to park quickly.

Interestingly, 96% of consumers who had parked with Q-Park favoured off-street parking showing that they value the Q-Park quality.

When choosing where to park, how important are…

The security of the car and the price of parking were considered the most important factors when choosing where to park, with 43% of customers choosing those options. Personal safety was also highly voted for at 41%. Q-Park are known for the safety of their car parks, with an unusually high user difference between male and female parkers, due to female customers being more likely to choose well-lit and secure car parks.

Which factors would you consider to be most important when choosing where to park?

It seems that despite new vehicle technology and customers responses to industry changes, off-street, secure parking is still a high priority.