This article will examine the history and evolution of solutions to that dilemma, including but not limited to smart parking systems that, in today’s parlance, are generally considered to be those where drivers park their own cars. These solutions are currently the pinnacle of the evolution of parking systems, as management of space allocation and charging drivers for their use of the space is automated, so no human attendants are required. Most such systems are based on ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras.

We’ll get back to a discussion of those relatively modern systems and their history. First, though, we’ll explore automated parking systems (APS) of different types, particularly those operated without driver involvement that, in most cases, had less capacity than modern high-rise parking garages.

The First Automated Parking Systems

The Garage Rue de Ponthieu in Paris was built in 1905. A multi-level concrete structure incorporated internal elevators to move cars up and down to and from the various levels where attendants parked the cars. The elevators saved the space that many garages now occupy with ramps.

In the 1920s, a system called the Paternoster became popular. It was a sort of Ferris wheel type of arrangement occupying the footprint of two cars, but usually with the capacity of eight cars. A chain was routed over sprockets at the top of the structure and under the floor, and compartments attached to the chain each held one vehicle. The compartments became accessible at the floor level in succession as the chain rotated over the sprockets.

About the same, a system called the Kent Automatic Garages gained popularity. In this arrangement, an electric “parker” lifted the rear wheels of a car and moved it to or from an available space using an elevator to move among levels in the garage. One of the first of these was installed in New York in 1928. It worked pretty efficiently, parking and retrieving cars in as little as 15 seconds, depending on the level of the space they occupied in the 1,000-car facility.

As larger cars became the norm after WWII, these garages became obsolete, and most were converted to office space or were demolished.

Continuing History of APSs

A ten-year span in the late 1940s and early 1950s saw a spurt of interest in APSs in the U.S. In 1957, 74 Bowser, Pigeon Hole, and Roto Park systems were built. As the systems experienced mechanical problems and people became impatient with long waits for their cars, their popularity waned.

In London, the Auto Stacker system opened in 1961, though it soon developed similar difficulties to the U.S. systems.

There was a lull in interest in APSs in the U.S. until the early 1990s. However, Europe, Asia, and Central America saw many systems beginning in the 1970s. The Paternoster systems we described earlier regained interest in Japan, and spaces for a total of about 40,000 cars using that system were built annually from the early 1990s and over the next twenty years.

Currently, the largest APS is in Kuwait, with a capacity of 2,314 cars. The largest APS in Europe is in Denmark, capable of handling 1,000 vehicles simultaneously and using 20 elevators.

ANPR-Based Smart Parking Systems As We Know Them Today

While APS systems save space and have other advantages, they are unsuited for high peak volumes, such as city rush hours or event stadiums. Sequential parking and retrieval of cars take too long for these applications.

Multi-level self-parking systems are the norm in high peak volume applications. The most effective smart parking systems for self-parking garages use ANPR cameras. However, some, mostly older, facilities use RFID chips or QR codes in plastic cards or stickers attached to the car.

ANPR cameras have several advantages over the electronic code-based systems:

• Nothing has to be attached to the car, so any vehicle can be accommodated, whether an occasional user with no contract or someone who parks there every day. Those without a prearranged relationship must take a time-stamped card and pay when they exit in a code-based system, and this process takes time.
• There is no need for cars to come to a full stop when they enter the garage. This speeds up flow and reduces or even eliminates congestion on the street, to the delight of parkers, traffic authorities, and passing motorists.
• ANPR-based smart parking systems can easily accommodate advance reservations from anywhere in the world. When someone makes a reservation to park, they enter their license plate number. When they arrive to claim their reserved spot, the system immediately recognizes them and admits them to the facility.

ANPR cameras have been used in smart parking systems since the early 21st century and have become a mainstay in modern parking management. By all indications, they will continue to figure in more advanced smart parking systems.

Many different types of parking systems with varying degrees of automation have been tried and used since motorization became part of our lives. Since the early 21st century, ANPR-based smart parking systems have dominated the industry, and the flexibility they offer is hard to beat. When a camera has recorded a plate number and identified the vehicle and person associated with it, that data can be used in many ways, including parking management.

Adaptive Recognition offers the highest quality and most flexible plate recognition technology available. To learn more and discuss your parking system needs, check out their website or contact one of their experts.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an economic free trade area in South Asia, including the following nations: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

With regard to the regional best-selling cars ranking, up to September 2023 the leadership is still in the hands of the Toyota Hilux, produced in Thailand, ahead of its competitors with 168,437 units sold (-7.2%), followed closely by the Isuzu D-Max with 135,196 cumulative sales (-21.1%).

The Perodua Myvi closes the podium with 97,151 sales (+7.6%), followed by the Honda City with 89,795 units sold (-6.0%) and the Honda HR-V with 81,494 new registrations (+15.5%).

In sixth place ranks the Mitsubishi X-Pander with 80,629 units sold (+2.3%), followed by the Ford Ranger -up 3 spots- at 71,038 registrations (+15.0%) and the  Toyota Vios with 70,947 sales (-7.4%).

Closing the leaderboard, the Toyota Avanza ranks in 9th with 65,238 units  sold this year (+0.6%) and the Perdue Bezza rises 1 spot into 10th with 58,248 cumulative sales (+7.7%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all top 50 models.

The Global Auto Brands Ranking

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023, the leader Toyota holds 10.9% market share with sales at 7.62 million (+3.4%), further widening the gap from second place. 

Furthermore, tracking the ranking of top-selling car brands in the World since 2010, we have always seen Toyota leading the scene. Indeed, the Japanese benefit from the strategy to have concentrated in a single brand the most powerful line-up in the World, and while other manufacturers have assembled different brands aiming to cover more customer segments, Toyota has just a little diversification in the one-brand strategy, with Lexus in the luxury segment and Daihatsu in the small, low-cost vehicles.

Volkswagen, in 2nd position, holds 5.9% market share, selling 4.12 million cars (+4.2%).

In 3rd ranks Ford with 3.20 million units sold (+5.3%), overtaking Hyundai which reported 3.17 million new auto registrations (+4.8%).

Honda secures 5th with 3.16 million sales (+0.5%), overtaking Nissan at 2.78 million (+6.7%)

Chevrolet ranks in 7th reporting 2.67 million sales (+7.9%), while Kia falls 1 spot into 8th with 2.56 million units sold (+3.6%), followed by BYD in 9th at 2.11 million sales (+56.8%).

Mercedes closes the top 10 with 1.92 million cumulative sales (+3.3%).

Tables with sales figures

In the table below we report sales for Top 50 Brands.

The following report shows the top 50 best selling models ranking in the European Market (including 43 countries from Portugal to Russia).

Considering data up to October 2023, the Tesla Model Y becomes the best selling car in Europe, reporting 224,879 cumulative sales and jumping 23 spots from the previous year (+146.2%).

The Renault Clio follows closely in second with 210,478 new registrations (+46.7%), in front of the Volkswagen T-Roc -up 5 spots- at 195,774 sales (+24.1%) and the Dacia Sandero with 180,738 sales (+19.2%).

In 5th place ranks the Opel Corsa -up 3 spots- with 179,631 sales (+22.7%), followed by the Volkswagen Tiguan -up 8 spots- at 158,169 (+25.7%), the Volkswagen Golf -down 5 spots- at 157,598 (-2.1%) and the Lada Granta -up 35 spots- with 152,972 registrations (+124.2%).

The Dacia Duster rises 10 spots into 9th with 151,236 cumulative sales (+8.1%) and the Toyota Yaris closes the Top 10 with 151,069 new registrations (+3.3%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 50 Models this year.

Slovakia Auto Sales in October 2023 grows for the 12th month in a row, posting 7,804 new car sales (+3.7%). YTD figures at 75,606 are up 15.2% from the previous year. 

Market Trend and Outlook

The Slovak economy is highly dependent on its industrial and automotive sectors, and is set for a moderate recovery in 2024 as external demand recovers.

Slovakian auto market  in October 2023 grows for the 12th month in a row, posting 7,804 new car sales (+3.7%). YTD figures at 75,606 are up 15.2% from the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023 brand-wise, Skoda maintains leadership with 14,899 sales (+30.7%), followed by Toyota at 8,900 (+32.3%) and Kia at 8,074 registrations (+8.1%).

Hyundai falls 2 spots  into 4th with 7,759 sales (-0.5%), in front of Volkswagen at 5,488 (-5.9%), Dacia at 3,341 (+8.2%) and Peugeot with 3,092 (+9.3%).

Mercedes maintains 8th position with 2,771 sales (+31.4%), followed by BMW at 2,311 (+24.0%) and Suzuki in 10th with 1,999 sales (+58.7%).

Looking at specific models the Skoda Octavia so far sold the most cars (+69.8%), followed by the Kia Cee’d up 6.9% in year-on-year sales.

Medium-Term Market Trend

In recent years the Slovakian car market has had many ups and downs. At the start of the decade demand for car passengers fluctuated between 71k and 75k. Then in 2014 started a 6 year uptrend that would lead total car sales up to the current all-time high in 2019 at 109,978.

In 2020 the pandemic caused many markets Europe to collapse and the Slovakian one was no different, falling 25.4% back down to 82,014 sales.

The following year demand bounced back, inverting the trend and bringing sales to 84,084 (+2.5%). Despite 2022 rising another 4.2%, these past two years haven’t been enough to offset the major fall in 2020. A combination of factors are behind the current industry struggle: the disruption in the global supply chain caused by a lack of raw materials, in particular for the production of microchips and Governments push towards Evs, an expensive alternative for low income consumers.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group and 10 Models.

Luxembourg Car Market in October 2023 reports 4,152 new sales (+19.8%), growing for the 10th month in a row after losing 48.2% in December 2022. YTD figures at 42,124 are up 18.6% from the previous year. Tesla rises 149.2% into 8th spot.

Market Trend and Outlook

The Luxembourg Car Market in October 2023 reports 4,152 new sales (+19.8%), growing for the 10th month in a row after losing 48.2% in December 2022. YTD figures at 42,124 are up 18.6% from the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023 brand-wise, Volkswagen is still the leader with 5,5055 sales (+20.0%), followed by BMW -up 2 spots- with 4,094 (+32.9%), Mercedes -down 1 spot- at 3,648 sales (+5.3%) and Audi with 3,343 sales (+3.3%).

In 5th ranks Skoda at 2,480 sales (+54.0%), followed by Peugeot -down 1 spot- at 2,198 (-25.3%) and Renault in 7th with 2,082 registrations (+58.9%).

Tesla rises 12 spots into 8th with 1,423 sales (+149.2%), followed by Fiat in 9th at 1,324 (-0.5%) and finally Opel in 10th position with 1,313 cumulative sales (-8.6%).

Medium-Term Market Trend

The car market in Luxembourg between 2010 and 2019 hasn’t had any major fluctuations, with year-on-year variations moving between a -7.5% in 2013 and a maximum of +6.6% in 2014. The market reached a peak in 2019 at 54,749 sales.

The following year the pandemic arrived causing the car market in Luxemburg to collapse 17.6% reaching 45,097 sales by the end of 2020, lowest level of sales of the decade.

Post-Covid in 2021 sales grew back slightly reaching 47,156 (+4.6%). While in 2022 sales dropped 10.7% to 42,087.

The car market in 2023 will have to confront some issues within automotive industry that put negative pressure on sales: the disruption in the global supply chain caused by a lack of raw materials, in particular for the production of microchips and Governments push towards Evs, an expensive alternative for low income consumers.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands and top 10 Manufacturers Group.

Market Trend and Outlook

The Slovenian auto market in October 2023 grows for the second month after falling 3.1% in August, reporting 3,808 sales (+11.3%). YTD figures at 41,377 are up 3.5% from the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023, brand-wise the leader remains Volkswagen with 6,212 sales (-0.9%), followed by Skoda with 4,570 (+14.2%) and Renault with 3,640 registrations(+4.3%).

Toyota rises 1 spot into 4th with 2,794 (+5.3%), in front of Kia at 2,229 (-9.8%), Peugeot with 2,138 (-0.8%) and Hyundai -down 3 spots- with 2,000 sales (-28.7%).

Citroen maintains 8th spot with 1,637 sales (-6.6%), followed by Dacia also in 8th -up 2 spots- with 1,637 sales (-0.1%) and Audi, jumping 3 spots into 9th with 1,581 new car registrations (+32.1%).

Opel closes the top 10 with 1,357 new registrations (-17.8%).

Looking at specific model the Skoda Octavia becomes the best seller rising 16.7% in sales from the prior year, followed previous year’s leader the Volkswagen T-Roc down 8.9%.

Medium-Term Market Trend

The Slovenian auto market has had many ups and downs in recent years. Demand for passenger cars fluctuated between 48k and 60k from 2010 to 2015. The market then started to gain momentum breaking the 60k resistance in 2016, finishing the year at 63,563. The uptrend continued for a few years reaching the current all-time high of 81,473 sales in 2018. Momentum then slowed down in 2019 that closed at 81,420 sales.

The arrival of the pandemic in 2020 forced many European countries to implement the lockdown, blocking entire economies. The Slovenian car market dropped 26.8% because of this, closing the year at 59,621.

Post-pandemic demand for passenger cars began a slow recovery in 2021 (+5.5%), that came to a halt in the following year. In fact, 2022 totaled 46,111 sales, a 14.2% loss from 2021.  A combination of factors are behind the current industry struggle: the disruption in the global supply chain caused by a lack of raw materials, in particular for the production of microchips, and the Governments push towards Evs.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group and top 10 Models.

Market Trend and Outlook

The Spanish Autos market in October 2023 surges 18.5%, posting 77,848 new sales and rising for the 10th month in a row. YTD figures at 789,288 are up 18.5% from the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023 brand-wise, Toyota maintains 1st with 66,775 sales (+11.0%), followed by Kia at 55,514 (+6.2%), Volkswagen  at 53,161 (+7.9%) and Peugeot -up 1 spot- at 51,485 sales (+10.3%).

Seat rises 1 spot into 5th position with 49,890 sales (+19.1%), in front of Hyundai at 47,813 (-4.7%), Renault at 46,042 (+31.9%) and Dacia at 39,310 sales (+28.2%).

Citroen falls 2 spots into 9th with 36,762 sales (+3.3%) and Mercedes closes the Top 10 with 35,485 registrations (+18.0%).

Looking at specific models the Seat Arona is on top of the rankings with an 28.6% increase in YTD sales, followed by the Peugeot 2008 up 30.0%.

Medium-Term Market Trend

Following 3 years of losses in 2013 the Spanish autos market started recovering, a growth that would last 6 years and would move sales from 744k to a peak of 1.34 million reached in 2018.

In 2019 sales staggered around the 1.3 million mark, but with the arrival of the pandemic in 2020 they fell 34.6% to 852k registrations. This would put the Spanish market in a difficult situation in the following two years.

After the pandemic car passengers sales remained practically flat in 2021 with 859k sales reported (+0.9%). 2022 performed even worse, losing 4.5% in y/y sales.

Despite posting a strong start in 2023, growing more than 50% just in January, the market will have to confront some key issues that put downward pressure on demand: first of all the current European sentiment pushing consumers towards EVs, a substantially more expensive alternative for Spanish consumers; secondly in the last year the global automotive scene has witnessed  a disruption in supply chains caused by a lack of raw materials for microchips, the has lead to manufactures to increase overall prices.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers’ Groups, and top 10 Models.

The best selling car up to September 2023 becomes the Daihatsu Sigra -up 5 spots- with 46,875 sales (+37.4%),  in front of the Honda Brio with 46,643 (+9.9%) and the Toyota Avanza -down 2 spots- with 45,237 sales (+2.3%)

The Toyota Kijang ranks in 4th with 43,384 sales (+21.8%), followed by the Daihatsu Gran Max PU with 36,607 sales (+9.3%), the Toyota Cayla with 34,312 registrations (+9.4%) and the Suzuki Carry Pick Up -down 4 spots- with 32,121 units sold (-18.8%).

The Mitsubishi Xpander falls 3 spots into 8th place with 30,615 sales (-13.5%) ahead of the Toyota Rush with 28,178 units sold (-11.9%) and the Honda HR-V, -up 2 spots- in 10th with 20,689 new registrations (+10.0%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 50 Models

World Car Market up to September 2023 reports the EV Tesla Model Y (+65.9%) as the segment leader, dethroning the Toyota Corolla (-2.0%). The Toyota Hilux (-2.8%) underperforms in the first 8 months of the year.

In this unique report, we rank the best-selling cars and light commercial in the World, aggregating data for all the 162 countries we track on monthly basis. Data reported is updated with the last available registrations figures sourced by local official authorities, country by country

Despite it being very hard to remove the traditional models from the very top of our Top 100 Ranking List, new EV models are ramping up across the global leaderboard with the automotive industry moving more and more towards electrification. 

Looking at the cumulative data up to September 2023, the best-selling car in the World becomes the Tesla Model Y -up 3 spots- with 883,982 units sold (+65.9%).

Second place is in the hands of previous year’s leader the Toyota Corolla, with current YTD sales at 815,035 down 2.0% from the previous year.

The first pick-up in the rankings is the Ford F-Series, in 3rd with 672,117 sales and a 19.6% year-on year growth.

The Toyota RAV4 falls 2 spots into 4th reporting 651,117 cumulative sales, a 1.5% loss from the sales period last year

In 5th place ranks the Honda CR-V -up 1 spot- with 493,767 sales (+8.1%), followed by the Toyota Camry -up 1 spot- with 463,836 sales (-5.5%) and the Hyundai Tucson -up 3 spots- with 463,059 new registrations (+12.1%).

The Chevrolet Silverado ranks in 8th with 453,640 sales (+4.9%), followed by the Toyota Hilux with 435,834 (-2.8%) and the Ram pick-up with 395,234 new registrations (-6.1%).

The most remarkable performances for the other models within the Top 100 are mostly related to electric vehicles like the BYD Dolphin in 37th (+75.0%)and the BYD Yuan Plus in 41st (+105.7%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the Top 100 models.