Parking Robots: Flexible Application of Parking Space Standards

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Revise Parking Lot Act and Safety Standards for Mechanical Parking Devices

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on March 15 that it will revise the Parking Lot Act and regulations on the safety and inspection standards for mechanical parking devices to support the introduction of parking robots that automatically park vehicles.

First, the legal status of parking robots will be clarified. The ministry has decided to recognize parking robots and other automated transfer devices that transport vehicles to parking spaces as a type of mechanical parking device. The ministry explained that this measure will allow new technologies to be protected within the existing institutional framework.

Taking into account the precise movement of parking robots, the regulations for parking spaces will also be applied flexibly. The existing size requirements for mechanical parking devices (a width of at least 2.3 meters and a length of at least 5.3 meters for medium-sized devices) will no longer be applied. Parking lots can be installed even without marked parking lines.

Parking robot 'Paki' by HL Robotics. Provided by HL Robotics

Specific technical standards have also been established to prevent safety accidents, such as devices that allow manual operation when the robot stops due to obstacle detection, and sensors that detect whether the door is open after the driver exits but before the robot enters under the vehicle.

When parking robots are introduced, there is no need for space for passengers to get in and out, allowing vehicles to be parked more closely together. With no need to open doors in tight spaces, concerns about door dings are also reduced. In parking areas dedicated to robots, the design will restrict access by general pedestrians, which the ministry explained is expected to lower the risk of pedestrian accidents, car theft, and other crimes.

Jae-gyo Jeong, Director General for Comprehensive Transportation Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "This amendment is an important first step in laying the institutional foundation for the on-site adoption of innovative parking robot technology. We will continue to promote transportation innovation policies that the public can experience, keeping pace with the speed of technological change."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.