London Gatwick has launched a robotic parking service in partnership with Stanley Robotics, becoming the first airport in the UK to offer the automated parking technology to passengers.
The service, which is now available to book ahead of its first customer journeys in August, is located near the airport’s South Terminal and is designed to automate the parking process while allowing passengers to retain their car keys.
Passengers drive into a dedicated parking cabin, scan their booking and leave their vehicle before confirming the process at an on-screen terminal. A robotic platform then lifts the vehicle by its tyres and transports it to a secure parking space. Upon their return, passengers collect their vehicle from a designated cabin after scanning their booking details.
The system uses passengers’ return flight information to prepare vehicles for collection ahead of their arrival.
Clément Boussard, Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Robotics said:We are thrilled to partner with London Gatwick, a global leader in aviation, to deploy our solution and address their critical parking capacity challenges as they prepare for significant growth. This project marks a major milestone for Stanley Robotics in the UK, and we are proud to bring our innovative technology to one of the world’s most forward-thinking airports.
Unlike traditional valet parking, customers keep their keys throughout their trip. The service is available by advance booking and is designed for most standard-sized cars, with limits including a maximum weight of 2.6 tonnes and a maximum wheelbase of 3.3 metres.
Following vehicle drop-off, passengers can either walk to the South Terminal or use the airport’s free shuttle bus.
The introduction of robotic parking forms part of Gatwick’s wider programme to improve the passenger journey and make more efficient use of parking capacity.
