London Gatwick Launches UK's First Robotic Parking Service

Gatwick Airport Introduces Robots to Park Passengers' Cars

London Gatwick Becomes First UK Airport to Launch Robotic Parking London Gatwick has become the first UK airport to launch a robotic parking service, allowing passengers to leave their cars with automated machines without handing over their keys. The airport has partnered with Stanley Robotics on the new service, which is designed to make airport parking and drop-off quicker for passengers using the South Terminal. Drivers using the service enter a dedicated parking cabin, scan their booking code and leave their vehicle before walking to the terminal or taking a shuttle bus. Once the driver has left, a robotic machine lifts the car by its tyres and moves it into a secure storage space. Passengers provide their return flight details when booking, allowing the system to arrange for their vehicle to be ready when they return to Gatwick. How Gatwick's robotic parking works The system is intended to remove some of the usual steps involved in airport parking. Drivers do not need to hand their keys to a member of staff because the robots take care of moving and storing the vehicle. Gatwick says the technology is compatible with 95 per cent of standard-size vehicle models, although vehicles must meet specific size and weight limits. The maximum supported wheelbase is 3.3 metres, while vehicles can be up to 2.3 metres high, have a wheel diameter of up to 21 inches and weigh no more than 2.6 tonnes. There are currently some restrictions on when the service can be used. Cars cannot be dropped off or collected at weekends, while vehicles must remain parked for at least five days. Bookings are currently available between 9am and 5pm each day, although Gatwick says these conditions could be adjusted as the service becomes more popular. The technology has already been used at Lyon airport in France. Gatwick and Lyon are both part of the Vinci airport group, with Stanley Robotics' system therefore already having experience in an airport environment. Oli Bedford, head of airport access at London Gatwick, described the service as quick, easy and hassle-free, adding that passengers can keep their keys while they are away. The price of the new parking option is also close to Gatwick's existing alternatives. A five-day booking in August costs £109, which is the same price as valet parking and £8 more than short-stay parking. For airport users, the new system offers another way to arrange parking without relying on a conventional valet service. Instead, the vehicle is collected and stored by an automated parking robot after the driver leaves it in the designated cabin. If the service expands and its current booking restrictions are eased, robotic parking could become a more familiar option for passengers leaving their vehicles at Gatwick while travelling.