Parking reservation techniques: A review of research topics, considerations, and optimization methods

Growing private vehicle use and a limited supply of parking resources have increased competition for parking spaces. Ineffective searching for parking spaces is a significant barrier to smooth traffic flow. Smart technology-generated parking reservations are regarded as an excellent way to increase parking efficiency and lessen traffic. Although there is increased attention on smart parking research and parking reservation optimization, a scoping review is currently lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the research literature related to parking reservations. Out of the original 438 publications identified in this search, 99 were eventually chosen for analysis. The review categorized parking reservations into four research topics: inventory control, allocation decisions, pricing strategies, and performance evaluation. The elements considered in these research themes, modeling techniques, and evaluation criteria are explored in detail. In addition, the challenges and further enhancements of parking reservation optimization are discussed. It is believed that the findings from this study will be beneficial in further research on parking reservations.