As part of the city’s smart mobility initiatives, the Transport Department of Hong Kong has completed the replacement of about 9,800 Octopus card-operated parking meters with new sensor-based ones.
The replacement of the old parking meters was completed a year after the project was launched.
The sensors in the new HKeMeters detect whether a parking space is occupied, and provide real-time information to assist motorists in available spaces. The sensors use millimetre wave radar technology to detect whether roadside parking spaces are occupied.
The real-time information will be disseminated to motorists through HKeMeter, the mobile / web version of HKeMobility and the website of DATA.GOV.HK. The sensors are only capable to detect the occupancy of parking spaces, and will not collect any personal information, vehicle types or vehicle registration numbers.
In total, the Transportation Department expects to install about 12,000 smart parking meters.
Multiple payment methods
The new HKeMeters accept multiple payment options, including Octopus and contactless credit cards such as Visa payWave, MasterCard Contactless and UnionPay QuickPass, Faster Payment System ("FPS"), AlipayHK, WeChat Pay and Union QR.
All motorists have to do is tap their card onto the designated card reader, or they can open the mobile application of the relevant payment means (including FPS, AlipayHK, WeChat Pay and Union QR) and scan the QR code displayed on the parking meters with their mobile phones, to pay the parking fees.
Also, the new parking meters support on-site and remote payment of parking fees through a new mobile application, HKeMeter. The mobile app is available on both IoS and Android mobile devices.
When paying for the first time with HKeMeter, a motorist will be requested to enter the information of the payment means. If the selected payment method is a Visa or MasterCard credit card, the system will store the relevant information and the motorist can use the same payment means to pay the parking fees later without entering the relevant information again.
On the other hand, if a motorist chooses to pay by mobile payment means (such as AlipayHK, WeChat Pay or Octopus), HKeMeter will automatically open the mobile application of the relevant payment means in the motorist's mobile phone for making the payment through the relevant mobile application.
If a motorist uses HKeMeter to pay the parking fee on site directly, the system will automatically link his mobile phone up with the parking meter to facilitate remote payment later, which is more convenient.
All motorists have to do is tap their card onto the designated card reader, or they can open the mobile application of the relevant payment means (including FPS, AlipayHK, WeChat Pay and Union QR) and scan the QR code displayed on the parking meters with their mobile phones, to pay the parking fees.
