Digital loading zone management in Stuttgart

University of Stuttgart's IAT supports city authorities in pilot project to enable smart management of urban freight transport [ Picture: AdobyStock] In the busy streets of Stuttgart, drivers often park in loading zones reserved for delivery vehicles. That leads delivery drivers to double park or leave their vehicles on sidewalks or cycle lanes, blocking traffic and creating potentially hazardous situations. To improve this situation, the city of Stuttgart has launched the "Digital loading zone management" project in collaboration with IAT at the University of Stuttgart and the company Parkunload. Their goal is to design an app featuring real-time data. In recent years, Stuttgart - the capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg - has recorded high and increasing rates of freight transport vehicles as a percentage of overall traffic. As a result, demand is also high for the time-limited zones where delivery drivers can load and unload goods. The problem is that other drivers often park in these loading zones, forcing delivery drivers to double park or leave their vehicles on sidewalks or cycle lanes.