DAVIDSON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Using real-time data and artificial intelligence, an app called Parknav is nearing launch in Davidson to help neighbors find parking in town.
Town leaders are testing the app to cut down on the headaches of finding an open spot along the busy Main Street corridor.
“I’m excited,” said Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox at the Nov. 14 town board meeting. “This is just one more facet of our small-area plan that’s going to hopefully make everyone’s experience of coming to downtown Davidson more enjoyable.”
Parknav uses harvested data and that of other users to dictate which streets have higher percentages of open spaces. The app will then give drivers turn-by-turn navigation to those areas. The app’s reps say they’re able to cut down the time spent looking for a spot by 50 percent.
On the back end, the technology also provides information to city planners to optimize the efficiency of their parking options.
“This all goes into the algorithm that they use, and their proprietary software is that it refreshes every minute, the data does,” said Kim Fleming, Davidson Economic Development Director.
The company launched the app in 2018 and started working directly with municipalities two years ago. They now provide real-time parking information to roughly 50 towns and cities worldwide.
Davidson leaders plan to have the app available in mid-December.
