A multi-storey, automated car park – the first of its kind in the Middle East – opens today (12 August 2009). Capable of handling 765 vehicles, it is the first of several large-scale robotic car parks being built to address growing parking problems in the United Arab Emirates.

The car park is a key complementary feature of the commercial office complex (phase one) at the new Ibn Battuta Gate mixed-use property developed by Dubai-based Asteco Development Management appointed by owners Seven Tides. Located next to Ibn Battuta Mall on the Sheikh Zayed highway, the development has 40,000 square metres of office space and residential apartments managed by Asteco Property Management and a five-star hotel and spa to be managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Andrew Chambers, Managing Director, Asteco commented, “This robotic car park will be especially convenient for the office tenants, parking or retrieval can be completed in less than 160 seconds. It is safe and secure and obviously doesn’t expose expensive paint work to the abrasive elements during lengthy office hours.”

Asteco, the largest property and services company in the United Arab Emirates, are the sole leasing and property managers for the offices at Ibn Battuta Gate which aims to attract businesses with commercial interests in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The technology behind the automated parking system was developed by US-based Robotic Parking, a world leader in the field, and has been brought to the region by the MAG Group, a leading UAE company.

“In a world of increasing urbanization and traffic congestion, the future is robotic parking,” said Sami K. Issa, General Manager of Robotic Systems FZE, the technology licensor. “As more and more vehicles in the UAE and the Middle East share a limited volume of available space, the need for a solution has become acute. In our view, it is not simply more space but more intelligent use of space which will solve the parking problems of today and tomorrow.
“With this technology, you don’t need to drive through the garage to find a parking space. You simply drive your car to an entry station and leave your car to be picked up by the computerised lifts that will safely place it inside the building on a shelving system. When you leave, you return to a central point and your car is swiftly retrieved for you."

Pre-opening performance tests of the system achieved more then 250 parking transactions per hour – faster than regular gated ramp-style car parks can handle.

Ahmet Oktay Cini, CEO of Asteco Development Management, also representing Seven Tides, described the system as “a key component of the development, a premium valet parking using state of the art technology.” He added: “It means your car is safe from break-ins and accidents, or the dents and scratches that are usually the risk of parking in large car parks. The robotic system also addresses the growing parking problem in Dubai by providing more than twice the number of parking spaces compared with a conventional car park.”

The Ibn Battuta Gate mixed use development has direct access to the Sheikh Zayed highway off interchange 6, connects with Jebel Ali Free Zone, the new Al Maktoum International Airport or further a field to Al Raha Beach and Abu Dhabi. Close by are Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and the rest of Dubai. The Office complex also has additional basement parking for over 350 cars.