Cologne plans new scanning vehicles to combat illegal parking

The city of Cologne is planning to implement new scanning vehicles to combat illegal parking in the city center. A motion introduced by the SPD, Green, and Volt factions in the mobility committee seeks to use this technology to increase the detection of parking violations and streamline the workflows of the regulatory office.

The initiative will begin as a pilot project lasting up to four years, focusing on high-density parking violation areas. Data from other cities suggests these scanning vehicles can detect up to six times more violations than traditional manual inspections.

The proposal emphasizes data protection to safeguard personal rights and requires a comprehensive evaluation report at the end of the four-year period. The use of such vehicles is supported by upcoming amendments to the Road Traffic Act, set to take effect in July 2026. The city is looking to models like Amsterdam for successful implementation.