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French Use Space Tech To Find Parking Spots

Posted by Soulskill on from the arguments-nasa-can-use dept.

itwbennett writes "Using technology developed by French space agency CNES (Centre Nationale d'Etudes Spatiales) to explore the planet Venus, drivers in the city of Toulouse are discovering something much more down-to-earth: vacant parking spots. The system is based on 3,000 sensors buried just under the pavement that detect changes in the electromagnetic environment around them and communicate the results via coaxial cable to a server, which makes the information available in real time to drivers' smartphones."

6 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Ditto in Chicago, But Less French by moehoward · · Score: 2, Funny

    We have the same thing at some commuter train parking lots in the Chicago area. Between two lots I know of, they combine for over 3,000 spots. And we didn't need freakin' NASA to create the technology

    Ours are better here because they are not so outrageously French.

    --
    "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
  2. Exploring Venus by jamesh · · Score: 4, Funny

    So the plan is to explore Venus by burying sensors around the planet and detecting when something parks on top of them?

    At least the pioneers will be able to locate a parking spot quickly!

  3. Vacant Parking Detected! by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 5, Funny

    Step on it Pierre, no time Toulouse!

  4. Re:Bad Article or Worst System Ever? by M.+Baranczak · · Score: 3, Funny

    They're very small parking spaces. Ever seen a French car?

  5. Re:Driving with smartphones? by metalmonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    Simple solution, find park first then use smartphone to search for a park.

  6. Re:Can they try using it to find razors? by RoFLKOPTr · · Score: 3, Funny

    If he wanted credit, he'd post with his username and call Americans fat and stupid. Modded +5 in no time.

    I may be fat and stupid, but you