Cameras on, book tickets The new parking system at TU Braunschweig enters trial operation

Tobias Mittmann/TU Braunschweig

Trial operation of the new parking management system on the central campus will begin in April. At the same time, registration via the new TU online portal will also be available. TU members can then create a user account and register their vehicle if required. During the trial period, university members and their guests can continue to use the car parks free of charge without registering. However, anyone who wishes to do so can support the testing of the system by purchasing a €0 ticket.

Attentive observers will certainly have already noticed the newly installed cameras in the TU Braunschweig car parks. The cameras and the underlying system are now being put through their paces to ensure smooth regular operation. Below, we explain what this means in concrete terms for users.

How does registration work?

In the new system, students and staff set up a personal account on the TU Online portal, enter their vehicle registration number there, and can choose between a day ticket (€3.50) or a monthly ticket (€10). Booking, payment, renewal and vehicle management are handled entirely digitally. Multiple vehicles can be saved in the account, but only one may be parked in the TU car parks at any one time. During the trial phase, parking is still free of charge and available without registration. During this period, users can book a €0 ticket and thus help to test the system. The link to the TU Online portal will be available on the car park management website from April.

What do the cameras record?

The system uses cameras at the entrances and exits to scan number plates. Optical character recognition (OCR) software automatically compares these with the digital ticket database. If a valid parking ticket is on record, the system only stores the time and location. If there is no registration or a rule has been breached, an offence is automatically logged. This allows parking rules to be enforced efficiently and with minimal staff. Data protection is a top priority in the system: all data is encrypted and pseudonymised; no movement profiles are created. If no offence has been committed, the recorded data is deleted immediately after the parking session ends; the retention period strictly adheres to legal requirements.

Where and for how long can I park?

A purchased ticket, whether a day pass or a monthly pass, allows parking without zone restrictions in all TU car parks. You can switch between car parks multiple times a day. However, long-term parking is not permitted, as the service is intended exclusively for study-related and work-related journeys.

When will the service become chargeable?

The system is expected to undergo a one-month trial period starting in April. After that, it will become chargeable. Creating a user account and registering vehicles will be possible from April. A chargeable ticket can be purchased once regular operations commence. Information regarding the exact start date of regular chargeable operations will be provided via the magazine and “Die Woche”.