With MOBIX Micromobility, we launched the first phase of our idea for sustainable mobility in 2022: pedestrians, runners, cyclists, and scooter users are rewarded for environmentally friendly transportation. Now, at the beginning of 2025, the 2nd phase will follow with MOBIX Park & Charge: drivers of electric cars will be allowed to charge at private charging stations/wall boxes, and owners of wall boxes can generate additional income when they don’t need their charging station and all drivers can find parking spaces more quickly and easily.
We are delighted that the first generation of AI agents from our partner Fetch.ai is now also being used in MOBIX Park & Charge. Agents are supposed to make life easier for us humans, relieve us of tedious tasks, and be used wherever artificial intelligence is superior to human intelligence.
However, to ensure that we do not use the technology for its own sake, but instead achieve real benefits in everyday life, the MOBIX team has intensively examined the various possible applications of agents in the field of mobility in the run-up to the development of Park & Charge. In the following, we describe the areas of application discussed by the team, some of which can be implemented by ourselves, others only in a team with partners – for example from the moveID Gaia-X consortium.
Revolutionizing Urban Mobility: AI Agent’s Role in Parking and EV Charging
In the bustling urban landscapes of today, two critical aspects of mobility—parking and EV charging—have become focal points for innovation. With the advent of AI, we’re witnessing a transformation that promises not just convenience but also sustainability and efficiency. Here’s how AI agents can reshape these services:
Smart Parking Solutions
Real-Time Parking Management: Imagine driving into a city without the dread of circling blocks to find a parking spot. AI agents are making this a reality by managing parking spaces in real time. Using cameras or sensors, AI can detect available parking spots and relay this information directly to your smartphone or through dynamic signage. This not only saves time but also reduces the unnecessary emissions from idling cars.
Predictive Parking: AI takes it a step further by predicting parking availability. By analyzing historical data, time of day, nearby events, or even weather patterns, AI can guide you to areas where you’re more likely to find an open spot. This predictive capability is a game-changer for both daily commuters and event-goers.
Dynamic Pricing: To combat parking scarcity in high-demand areas, AI can implement dynamic pricing models. Charging more during peak times encourages quicker turnover of spots while offering discounts in less utilized areas or times can balance the distribution of parked vehicles across urban spaces.
Automated Valet Services: In high-end facilities or luxury hotels, AI-controlled robots or drones can handle parking duties. This not only optimizes space usage but also reduces the labor costs and human errors associated with traditional valet parking.
Enforcement and Compliance: AI helps in automating parking enforcement by detecting violations like overstaying or illegal parking through camera feeds or sensor data, ensuring compliance with parking regulations without the need for constant human patrols.
Shared Parking Spaces: With AI, private parking lots can be opened up for public use during off-hours. This sharing economy approach maximizes the use of existing infrastructure, making parking more accessible and less of a headache in densely populated areas.
Enhancing EV Charging
Optimizing Charging Stations: AI is crucial for managing EV charging infrastructure. By predicting demand, AI can ensure charging stations are available when and where they’re needed most. This includes load balancing across stations to distribute power efficiently, reducing wait times, and ensuring that all EVs are charged in the most energy-efficient way possible.
Route Planning for EV Drivers: For EV owners, range anxiety is a real concern. AI agents help by integrating real-time data on charger availability, battery level, and traffic to suggest optimal routes and charging stops, making travel planning seamless and stress-free.
Smart Charging Scheduling: AI can schedule charging during off-peak hours or when renewable energy sources are abundant, thus reducing costs for users and stabilizing the grid. This integration with smart grids can even extend to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) scenarios where EVs can supply power back to the grid under AI’s intelligent management.
Proactive Maintenance: AI monitors the health of charging stations, predicting when maintenance might be needed or immediately alerting technicians to faults, thereby increasing the reliability and uptime of EV charging networks.
Payment and Access Management: From handling payments through various methods to managing access rights, AI streamlines the user experience at charging stations. It personalizes services by remembering user preferences or vehicle types, making each charging session as quick and hassle-free as possible.
Supporting Grid Stability: By deciding when it’s beneficial for an EV to discharge energy back to the grid, AI supports not just individual users but the broader electrical grid system, enhancing stability and potentially creating new revenue streams for EV owners.
Getting in the mood for MOBIX Park & Charge – Agents on the front line
The integration of AI in general, and of Fetch.ai agents in particular, into parking and EV charging solutions is paving the way for smarter, more sustainable urban mobility. By addressing core issues like availability, efficiency, and user convenience, AI helps in crafting a future where urban spaces are less congested and more environmentally friendly. As we move forward, the balance between technological innovation and practical benefits will define the success of AI in reshaping our cities for the better.
At MOBIX, we see technology as an enabler and life enhancer. That’s why we are launching MOBIX Park & Charge with AI agents that help our users greatly simplify communication with each other and access to charging stations. By agents fulfilling their task of simplifying necessary but tedious thinking and communication, our users get to know their strengths. We will describe what this simplification looks like in the next blog post.