FlexiPark: AR-Powered Accessible Parking Solution
Team
Duration
Role
The Challenge
Accessible parking is fundamentally broken. Users with mobility impairments face unauthorized vehicles in designated spaces, zero real-time availability data, poor maintenance, and inconsistent enforcement. Current apps treat accessible parking like regular parking they're solving the wrong problem.
Impact
The Core Insight
Accessible users need certainty before they travel, not discovery after they arrive Regular parking apps optimize for convenience. Accessible parking requires reliability, verification, and enforcement support.
Research Question
What I Built
Research Foundation
Literature Review + Competitive Analysis
Analyzed 10+ research papers on AR applications and smart parking systems. Reviewed 5 existing solutions (Parking Mobility, WheelMate, Parkopedia, ParkAssist, Mercedes-Benz AR).
Key discovery: Every current solution addresses isolated problems. No comprehensive accessible parking ecosystem exists.
Parking Mobility: Community reporting only
WheelMate: Location mapping only
Parkopedia: General booking only
ParkAssist: Business solutions only
Mercedes AR: Vehicle-specific only
User Research Insights
Developed three distinct personas representing the spectrum of accessible parking needs each with unique mobility challenges, family dynamics, and technology comfort levels.
Persona validation: Each user type required different filtering priorities Maria needed ramp clearance data, Eleanor prioritized surface quality and lighting, James needed combined EV/accessibility features.
Design Process
01 Lo-Fi Prototyping + Feature Validation
Method: Paper cutouts with mobile frames testing core user flows across all three personas.
Why Animated Progress Over Static Bars
Advanced filtering system: Ramp clearance, surface quality, lighting, EV charging
Violation reporting workflow: Photo upload, vehicle tag entry, status tracking
Vehicle profile management: Default settings for different accessibility needs
AR guidance integration: Personalized positioning assistance
Community contributions: New spot addition with verification workflows
Critical discovery: Maria needed van-specific filtering, Eleanor required safety indicators, James needed combined accessibility/charging filters. Single-feature solutions fail comprehensive filtering is essential.
02 Design System Development
Strategic choices driven by accessibility
Primary color: Vibrant orange for critical actions and high contrast
Typography: Source Sans Pro (headings) + Cabin (body text)
Principle: Every design decision serves accessibility first
Result: High contrast ratios, clear visual hierarchy, and consistent interaction patterns for users with varying visual abilities.
03 High-Fidelity Prototyping
Figma-based comprehensive design system ensuring interface consistency across all interactions.
Key features integrated
Community-driven spot validation workflows
AR-powered parking assistance with vehicle adaptation
Dynamic filtering for specific needs (EV charging, covered spaces)
Integrated payment eliminating meter accessibility challenges
04 User Testing Reality Check
5 participants, ages 22-35, varying parking app experience
What users loved
Visual hierarchy
Pricing and availability visible immediately
Real-time data
Color-coded availability
(green = free, red = occupied)
Community features
Reviews focused on safety and accessibility
AR guidance
Felt intuitive and personally relevant
Critical Pain Points
Unauthorized occupation
Data transparency
Added timestamps showing last update
Accessibility requests
Voice commands and audio feedback options
Simplified interactions
Reduced booking to fewer taps
Security concerns
Integrated anti-fraud protection for reserved spots
The Final Solution
FlexiPark integrates four previously fragmented experiences into one reliable ecosystem
Key Innovation
First comprehensive accessible parking platform that combines real-time verification, community enforcement, personalized AR guidance, and integrated payments in a single solution.
Result: Users can confidently plan accessible parking before they travel, rather than gambling on availability after they arrive.
Reflection + Next Steps
This project evolved from a parking app into a comprehensive accessibility technology study. The biggest insight: users weren't just looking for spots they needed confidence, dignity, and trust.
User testing revealed that accessibility concerns (spot theft, data accuracy, enforcement response) were as important as functional features. This taught me that accessibility technology must address emotional needs alongside functional requirements.
What users loved
Enhanced real-time data syncing with official parking systems
Expanded community incentives for spot contribution and verification
Integration with city enforcement databases for violation tracking
Impact on my design philosophy
Shifted from designing assistive technology to designing dignified experiences that happen to assist prioritizing user agency over technological features.
