Gatwick Airport has launched the UK’s first robotic airport parking service.
The new system, delivered in partnership with Paris-based tech company Stanley Robotics, allows passengers to drive into a dedicated private drop-off cabin, step out of their car and let robots take care of the rest.
The robots do not require drivers to hand over their keys. Instead, they work like high-tech forklifts – sliding underneath a vehicle, clamping onto all four wheels and then moving it to the correct location. It operates outdoors in all weather conditions and uses a suite of autonomous navigation technology, including a 3D lidar array, cameras and ultrasonic sensors, to map its environment in real time.
Stanley Robotics has said that the system can pack 50% more cars into the same surface area, which is especially useful for a busy airport with limited space. The robots can place cars nose-to-tail and side-by-side with only centimetres of clearance between them, and there is no need to provide space...