According to the latest 2021 research carried out by Parkopedia and Zhongyan, where 1600 drivers were surveyed across China, 82% said that they would welcome a system that could help them predict when and where street parking spaces would be available, and almost all of them would happily pay a surcharge for this feature - demonstrating the strong demand.
It also revealed that almost 90% of drivers struggle with parking, blaming a lack of parking information and difficulty navigating parking facilities as the main reasons. Many of these drivers currently turn to off-street car parks, which can offer driver-friendly facilities, however, they also come with drawbacks. Off-street parking is usually a significantly more expensive service due to maintenance and staffing, in addition to facilities not always located in the most convenient of places - covering just some of the reasons why drivers require parking solutions that offer users the complete picture of available parking to fit their needs.
The survey also found that while cost is not a top factor when choosing parking in China, location and availability are. Street parking is preferred by the majority of drivers due to its convenience, however, drivers today are struggling more than ever with availability, with significantly more cars on the road than available parking spaces to accommodate them.
Last year, the total number of vehicles in China reached 281 million passenger cars. 33 million of these were newly registered, an increase of 1.14 million or 3.6% over 2019. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, there are only around 80 million parking spaces to accommodate these vehicles. Due to continuously rising vehicle numbers, most cities are now facing huge parking pressure, with residents in small and medium-sized cities feeling the pressure more severely than in tier 1 and 2 cities. Ensuring there is an available space upon arrival is now a vital part of the user experience for all drivers.
The survey, which focused on ten major cities in China, found that 82% of drivers would prefer to park on a street if more information was provided, with 57% preferring this information to be integrated into the vehicle’s infotainment system. Almost all respondents said they would pay a surcharge to receive digital parking data, with the majority suggesting that 5-10 Yuan per month would be an acceptable charge for this premium information. Just 11% stated that they would prefer to continue using smartphone apps, with this number continuing to decrease as strict traffic laws regarding the use of phones while driving continues to be enforced heavily.
Parkopedia helps millions of drivers every year to park, working with world-class OEMs in China such as the Volkswagen Group, BMW and Daimler who use our market-leading technology as part of their connected services. Parkopedia’s street parking static data offers detailed information such as location, operating hours and payment information, while our proprietary dynamic data takes user convenience to the next level with accurate availability and predictions providing a complete solution for automakers, helping them to overcome China’s biggest on-street parking concern from drivers around availability.
Download the complete report here
