Delay-tolerant stochastic algorithms for parking space assignment

This paper introduces and illustrates some novel stochastic policies that assign parking spaces to cars looking for an available parking space. We analyze in detail both the main features of a single park, i.e., how a car could conveniently decide whether to try its luck at that parking lot or try elsewhere, and the case when more parking lots are available, and how to choose the best one. We discuss the practical requirements of the proposed strategies in terms of infrastructure technology and vehicles' equipment and the mathematical properties of the proposed algorithms in terms of robustness against delays, stability, and reliability. Preliminary results obtained from simulations are also provided to illustrate the feasibility and the potential of our stochastic assignment policies.