Following a successful trial, Lyon Airport has announced plans to extend the outdoor robotic parking service deployed by Stanley Robotics. The innovative car park is set to be expanded from 500 to 2,000 spaces in summer 2020. The service will be run by seven autonomous robots working simultaneously, while 28 cabins will be available for dropping off and picking up vehicles. The partnership between Stanley Robotics and Lyon Airport’s operator VINCI Airports, which began in 2017, ultimately aims to offer over 6,000 parking spaces.
Tanguy Bertolus, CEO, Lyon Airport, shared: “The robot valet service provided by Stanley Robotics and developed in Lyon meets the strategic objectives of Lyon Airport, namely, to enhance customer experience and reduce the environmental impact of the airport’s activities. This project is one of the factors behind the outstanding results obtained in these two areas by Lyon Airport, which in 2019 was named Europe’s best airport in the 10-25 million passenger category by Airports Council International (ACI) and certified carbon neutral for its activities (ACA level 3+).”
The robotic valet system helps passengers easily find available parking space or locate their vehicle. After booking their parking space on the Lyon Airport website, passengers then drop off their vehicle in dedicated cabins and make their way to the terminals using the shuttle bus located in close proximity. The robot then takes care of the car, parking it in the secure car park. Upon their return, passengers pick up their vehicle, which is waiting for them in one of the cabins.
Moreover, the robot valet service is in line with VINCI Airports’ sustainability approach, as it reduces land use by creating 50% more spaces within the same surface area, as well as limiting CO2 emissions by eliminating the need for passengers to drive around the car park looking for a free space.
Nicolas Notebaert, Chief Executive Officer of VINCI Concessions and Chairman of VINCI Airports, explained: “As the world’s leading private operator, we pursue an ambitious industrial strategy to benefit passengers, at all of our 46 airports around the world. This strategy is based on two pillars: customer experience and innovation. Lyon Airport rolls out this strategy in an exemplary fashion, which is why it has become one of VINCI Airports’ three centres of excellence for innovation in the field of customer experience. Among other advantages, this role means we can extend the innovations tested in Lyon to other airports in the VINCI Airports network.”
