Now, the corporation is tackling another major issue that plagues metropolitan areas: parking. Visual Parking System (VPS), a scalable solution that leverages Google's ARCore Geospatial API, was released by Bird as an augmented reality-powered parking system. Using Google's worldwide 3D scanning, AR (augmented reality) technology, and Google Maps Street View data from around the world, Bird can geo-locate parked scooters with pinpoint precision.
Bird users will park their scooters more carefully with the new VPS, following parking restrictions and keeping ramps and pathways clear. According to Bird CTO Justin Balthrop, the new parking technology will enable the firm to satisfy cities' most pressing demand for adequate parking in ways that have never been achievable before. It will also enable it to do it at scale in cities throughout the world, thanks to Google's technology and sophisticated data.
Riders must download Bird's app, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, in order to use the VPS. Riders examine the surrounding area with their smartphone camera when they wish to finish their journey. The bird then analyzes the photographs given by the rider in real-time to those in Google's data store and Street View images to determine whether the scooter should be parked there or not. If the parking position isn't ideal, the rider won't be able to finish his journey until he fixes the scooter's parking.
The VPS is available to Bird's municipal partners for free, and the technology is now being tested in San Francisco, San Diego, and New York. The list will ultimately include over 400 partner cities.