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Vienna is turning to high‑tech tools in its ongoing effort to curb parking violations. Four newly developed “scan‑cars” will soon support the city’s parking enforcement teams, marking the start of a pilot phase that was officially announced on Monday. Full deployment is planned for December 2026.
The vehicles—electric cars equipped with roof‑mounted sensors—use cameras to scan the license plates of parked cars. The system checks in real time whether a digital parking ticket or a valid residential permit is registered for each plate. If everything is in order, the onboard display signals approval to the enforcement officer riding in the passenger seat.
According to Mobility Councillor Ulli Sima (SPÖ), the initiative represents a first for Austria. While similar systems are already in use across many European cities, Vienna is the country’s pioneer. Sima noted that the city’s monitoring workload has doubled since the introduction of the citywide parking permit system in 2022, making technological support increasingly necessary.
Michelle Krumpschmid, head of Municipal Department 67, explained that parking enforcement staff currently walk up to 15 kilometers per day. In twelve outer districts, the new vehicles will allow teams to switch from foot patrols to car‑based monitoring. Despite the automation, each scan‑car still operates with two people: one focused solely on driving, and the other evaluating the system’s findings.
Importantly, a detected mismatch does not automatically lead to a fine. If the database shows no valid permit, the team stops to manually inspect the vehicle—checking, for example, whether a paper ticket is displayed behind the windshield. Suspicious cases continue to be reviewed by hand.
The Austrian company CPB is responsible for the technical implementation. Managing director Martin Schanda emphasized that the system can read plates even when cars are parked very close together. He also stressed that data protection standards are upheld, noting that no photos of license plates are stored.
Over the coming months, all four scan‑cars will undergo testing. They will not begin issuing fines until the end of the year, with full operational rollout expected in late 2026.
City officials underscored that the project will not result in job cuts. Instead, staff freed up by the new system will be reassigned to denser inner‑city areas, strengthening overall coverage. The project’s total cost is estimated at around €1.15 million.
- source: vienna.at/picture: meinbezirk.at/canva.com
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