Aparkado receives ESA funding for truck parking system

Aparkado UG, the company behind LKW.APP, has received a funding contract for the project „Truck Parking Guidance System“ (TruPaG) as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) „Business Applications and Space Solutions“ (BASS) program. With this project, Aparkado aims to address the shortage of truck parking spaces in European road freight transport. The platform views the issue of truck parking not only as a problem for individual drivers but as a central factor for efficiency, safety, and planning throughout the entire logistics chain.

Roland Moussavi, founder of Aparkado, commented on the challenges in truck parking: „Truck parking is one of the most underestimated bottlenecks in European logistics.“ He emphasizes that LKW.APP already supports drivers with real-time data and predictive parking forecasts. With ESA’s funding, the parking intelligence will be further developed to make the forecasts more precise and reliable and scalable across Europe.

Development of Intelligent Parking Forecasts

Aparkado plans to use the ESA funding to expand the existing parking intelligence and optimize the forecasting models. The goal is to improve the reliability of parking forecasts by combining historical and real-time movement data from trucks. Various data sources will be analyzed as part of the project to identify the most effective methods for supporting data-driven decisions in freight transport.

At the core of the TruPaG system is a proprietary forecasting model from Aparkado, which already translates real-time and movement data into concrete recommendations for users of LKW.APP. Aparkado has integrated real-time parking data from Autobahn GmbH and Toll Collect as the first platform, providing current parking information for Germany. The TruPaG system will expand these approaches to increase forecasting accuracy in different regions and cover a broader network of parking spaces.

The existing system will be developed into a context-based parking guidance system that continuously considers factors such as current occupancy, remaining driving time, and individual driver preferences. Continuous analysis and optimization of existing and new forecasting approaches will further enhance the reliability of the recommendations.

Benefits for Drivers and Companies

LKW.APP has already surpassed 400,000 downloads and is used in 44 European countries. The platform has established itself as a reliable solution for finding parking and receives high ratings in app stores. Drivers benefit from better planning, avoid detours, and reduce stress, which helps them comply with legal driving times. The developments under TruPaG are expected to further enhance these benefits, allowing drivers to secure suitable parking options in advance.

This support for drivers also impacts transport companies. More precise parking decisions lead to better-planned operations and optimized route and driving time utilization, reducing fuel consumption. Improved planning can also promote more sustainable transport processes and strengthen competitiveness in a market where efficiency and driver satisfaction are crucial.

Aparkado offers these features through a subscription model for transport companies to optimize their planning processes. For transport management systems (TMS) and digital logistics platforms, Aparkado provides its parking intelligence through a dedicated API. This enables the integration of real-time and forecast data into existing systems, increasing planning accuracy and supporting more transparent, data-driven transport processes.

With the „Truck Parking Guidance System,“ Aparkado demonstrates how addressing a central operational challenge can create value for the entire logistics ecosystem. The funding from ESA accelerates the further development of this approach and strengthens the connection between drivers, transport companies, and digital platforms through a shared data foundation, contributing to a more efficient and transparent logistics infrastructure.

www.LKW.app