Sydney Declutters Parking Signs With E-Ink

Many parking signs are so cluttered nowadays reading them can be like deciphering the runes of an ancient bureaucracy. But Sydney, Australia, might’ve found a solution with E-Ink screens, which project different parking restriction details based on the hour or day.

The state-run Roads and Maritime Services collaborated with Slovenian tech company Visionect to install about 100 of the signs around the city. They appear almost like regular, inert signs, except they’re solar-powered and at the bottom have matte-gray screens similar to those on e-book readers. They communicate on the cellular network with a central authority to display messages—telling motorists there’s no parking between 3 and 6 p.m., for instance, or warning of towing enforcement during special events.