An electronic parking disc is a practical gadget in the car because it prevents parking tickets. But be careful: it is not allowed in every parking lot!
Nothing is more annoying than getting a ticket because you forgot to drape the parking disc visibly on the dashboard. An electronic parking disc protects forgetful drivers from unwanted notes from busy law enforcement officers. However, this is not always the case, because the electric parking disc must meet certain standards in order for it to be used in Germany. And even that doesn’t mean it’s accepted in every parking lot. We will clarify one by one which properties the digital parking disc has to fulfill and when and where you can use it.
Electronic parking disc: These rules apply
In Germany, whether an electronic parking disc is permitted or not depends on the parking space. It is always permitted in public parking spaces if the parking disc has received a so-called type approval from the Federal Motor Transport Authority, which it only receives if it meets certain standards. Logical: It is of course not permitted for the clock to continue running after the car has been parked. That’s why most electronic parking meters also have motion sensors that detect when a car stops. This also prevents the clocks from being set manually. To do this, drivers would have to take them out of the car and take them for a walk so that the clock keeps running.
It is also important that the parking sign 314 is on the clock. This is the familiar white P on a blue background, as is also present on the analogue parking disc. In addition, it is primarily the display that determines whether the electronic parking disc is permitted. It must indicate the time in 24 hours and with a font height of at least two centimeters. The term “arrival time” must then be clearly visible above the display. If the electronic parking meter meets these criteria, it is permitted in public parking spaces in Germany, provided the battery is not empty.
Important: If you park your car in a private parking space, the parking lot operator decides whether an electronic parking disc is permitted. A supermarket parking lot, for example, is privately operated parking space. You must check whether an electronic parking disc is permitted here before you park there. Most manufacturers recommend the bottom right of the passenger side of the windshield as the best place to attach the parking disc. However, there are no legal regulations on this, although it is of course forbidden and at the same time nonsensical to place the parking disc in the driver’s field of vision.
These electronic parking discs are permitted in Germany
So let’s take a look at which electronic parking discs are allowed in Germany and how they differ. One thing in advance: The biggest differences can be found in the design, holding device, battery and price. However, they are similar in their functionality. Below we will explain what you need to pay attention to when it comes to electronic parking discs abroad.
Ooono Park No.1
Let’s start with a classic electronic parking disc: Ooono Park. It meets all the important criteria for being approved in Germany. In the star-The test impressed them above all with its easy installation and setup. Use the three buttons to set the time, the automatic change between summer and winter time and the interval at which the watch measures the time.
In Germany this is 30 minutes. The parking meter is operated with a button cell. According to the manufacturer, it should last about a year. As for installing the clock, all you need to do is stick a magnet to the windshield for the clock to hold onto. Nice: The holder can also be purchased separately if you want to take the electronic parking meter with you to another car.
Needit Park Lite parking meter
According to the manufacturer, it is also approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority Needit Park Lite parking meter. Compared to the Ooono Park, its design is more reminiscent of the well-known analogue parking disc. This is mainly due to the striking blue and the shape. However, the two electronic parking discs are similar in their functionality. There is also a motion detector in the Needit parking disc that detects when the car is parked and when it is moving. The parking meter can also be set analogously.
This makes sense if, for example, you park in the evening but the parking time doesn’t start until the morning. The Needit parking meter is mounted using an adhesive pad. Unfortunately, this means she is limited to just one car. Nice: There is a time and date display on the back. The watch’s battery can also be changed there. This is a button cell that would probably have to be changed after a year. And of course the clock automatically switches from summer to winter time and vice versa.
Jacob Jensen parking disc II
If you have concerns about the parking discs that have already been presented and are prepared to invest a little more money in parking, this could be the case Jacob Jensen parking disc II be something for you. From our point of view, it can’t do anything better – but it’s visually ahead. This is particularly important for people who are forgetful but don’t want to constantly “mess up” their high-quality vehicle with a parking disc in their windshield.
Everything that has already been said applies to the electronic luxury parking disc: It is approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority, is also operated by a button battery, switches automatically from summer to winter time and vice versa and of course it sets the parking time automatically. You can mount the parking meter on the windshield using an adhesive holder and of course the clock can also be changed manually.
Needit Park Lite SOLAR
Why do we now have a second one? Needit parking meter introduce? Well, because this one does exactly one thing better than all other parking meters in comparison: it has solar cells that charge a battery. This saves battery waste and is a lot more convenient than other electronic parking discs. The fear that the watch will not work at night or in constant rain is unfounded. The manufacturers have installed a battery as a backup.
The watch is mounted using an adhesive mount and, like the battery model from Needit, it offers two displays. The front one shows the parking time and on the driver’s side you can see the date and time. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the clock automatically switches from summer to winter time, can be set manually, the parking time starts automatically and the clock is of course also approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority.
Electronic parking disc abroad
There are also legal regulations for electronic parking discs in Europe and further afield. The bad news is that these are not uniform across the European Union. Each country regulates whether and how electronic parking discs are permitted. Without exception, they are banned in Austria, Belgium and Switzerland. For example, it is permitted in the Netherlands and Denmark, but under different conditions than in Germany. When abroad, it is better not to rely on an electronic parking disc, but instead rely on its analogue counterpart. This saves nerves and money.
Source: ADAC.de
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